


Desert Lotus

by nyraren



Category: The Mummy (1999)
Genre: Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Minor Violence, Period-Typical Sexism, Pre-The Mummy Returns, Slow Build, the mummy - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-17
Updated: 2020-08-31
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:08:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 24,340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25951168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nyraren/pseuds/nyraren
Summary: Dr. chamberlain has invited you to Egypt in search of the legendary Hamunaptra. Convinced this was an ordinary excavation, you gladly agreed to the trip, not knowing the dangers you would meet- including a mysterious group of protectors that you believed to have been dead.
Relationships: Anck Su Namun/Imhotep, Ardeth Bay/Reader, Evy Carnahan O'Connell/Rick O'Connell
Comments: 4
Kudos: 47





	1. Cairo

**Author's Note:**

> An attempt at an ArdethxReader story. smut in the future. Please do not upload any of my stories anywhere else, and i do not own any of the characters from the franchise !

**Cairo, Egypt**

Dressed in a cream collared shirt and a pleated dark brown skirt you walked towards the hotel, the handles of the luggage straining your hands. Your long hair was half tucked into a bun, hidden beneath a hat. It felt like a dream to be here! The smells of food, the sounds of chatter... Cairo was everything you could have imagined, but you could have done without the heat. Your skin glistened with sweat as you hurried inside to the front desk. "Good afternoon, miss, and welcome to-" 

"Yes, yes, sorry I'm in a bit of a hurry. These luggage are quite heavy."

The man raised a brow and straightened himself. "Yes, er, sorry. Do you have reservations?"

"Yes, L/N. Y/N."

The man looked down at his log book, murmuring various names that were listed. "Ah, yes, here you are Miss Y/N. I expect you need help with your luggage?" you nodded and reached into your pockets for a red silk handkerchief and dabbed your forehead. "Yes, that would be incredibly lovely. Thank you, sir. I apologize for the rush." The man smiled warmly at you, acknowledging that he appreciated your apology. "Right this way, Miss Y/N. Please follow our bellboy." A young man not much older than fifteen rushed over to her side, and grabbed your suitcases. "Danke," you said, nodding at the man at the desk.

As you climbed up the hotel's stairs, a smile formed on your lips as you reminded yourself that this was no longer a dream. You were _here- in **Egypt!** _You had longed for this moment since you began your apprenticeship with Dr. Chamberlain. He was a kind man, but there were moments of sexism that infuriated you. It bothered you that he always made you fetch this and that, and never invited you to important meetings and lectures like the other students. It was the old boy's club of course, but you vowed to change that when _you_ became a real archaeologist. When Dr. Chamberlain presented the opportunity to them, you were not actually the first student he asked. The boys were offered the opportunity first, however they managed to all decline for one reason or another, forcing Dr. Chamberlain to ask her. Of course, you agreed eagerly. Disappointed and slightly annoyed, Dr. Chamberlain gave in. " _You won't be disappointed, Dr. Chamberlain! I promise!"_ was what you said before rushing out the door back to your home.

Once your reached the room, you thanked the young man and gave him a few coins for the trouble. You entered the room and dragged your luggage inside. You looked around, a smile growing wider as you noticed the large door that led to the balcony at the far left corner of the room. You raced towards the door, and slowly walked towards the rails of the balcony. The warm rays of the sun and the heat of the desert wind kissed your tanned skin as soon as the doors were opened.

"So it begins!" you said excitedly before returning to your room. Little did you know that a man had been carefully watching you from below. He wore a black tunic and a navy head wrap, concealing his identity carefully. The man was sitting quietly at a table with two other men in similar attire. They seemed to be normal customers of the food stand, but their identities were far from normal. The man watched you with curiosity before turning his head towards the entrance. More foreigners were arriving, and they carried more suitcases than the woman. News traveled fast to him, especially when there were many eyes and ears that gave a lending hand to their mysterious tribe. The man continued to watch and did his best to listen to their loud conversation. 

"Americans... they're always so _loud,"_ he murmured to his colleagues. The two chuckled as they ate the fruits on their table. "It sounds like our sources were right, my friends. We must send a message, or we might meet our doom." They all nodded at one another, stood, and nodded at the vendor behind the counter who reciprocated the gesture. "You two go on ahead and send the message. I will keep watch here. Prepare everyone." The man moved to the opposite side of the street to get a better view of the woman he was watching earlier. He noticed her fussing with her appearance and talking to herself in the mirror. He chuckled, wondering whether all women were like her.

In your room, you had been preparing herself in a different manner. Washing your face and neck in the bathroom, you began to get ready to meet the Americans and Dr. Chamberlain. You had not met these American men yet, however Dr. Chamberlain insisted they were "fine young men that will protect us from any trouble." Of course, as a single woman yourself, you could not help but try to look a little more put together and less sweaty for them. You took out a small pot of rouge that her grandmother gifted her, and dabbed it on your cheeks and lips. "Subtle colors should do the trick," you murmured as you looked at herself in the mirror. "Though... I suppose I should change as well..." You tilted her head as you inspected her garments. Turning to your opened suitcase, you took out a similar cream silk top. "Just a top change, I suppose... but first let's get rid of all this nasty sweat!" You retrieved a washcloth and began drenching it with water, then took out a bottle labeled "rose" on it. With a dropper, you began to place little drops of oil on the cloth before rubbing your body with it.

Below, the man had turned his eyes away from the woman, cheeks burning red as the sun. It was not right to continue observing this woman, especially when she was half naked. He pondered whether you realized that the drapes were not covering your image well enough, though he quickly realized no one else was watching. Out of respect, he decided to leave his post, and return later that evening to continue spying on the foreigners and leave a message for the woman: _Do not proceed. Turn back_.

* * *

**That evening...**

"Ah! Miss Y/N! There you are!" Dr. Chamberlain exclaimed as he rose from his seat in the lounge area of the hotel. Three gentlemen were with him, and stood as well. One looked like sort of cowboy character, a man with dark hair, and the man with the glasses. You hurried down the stairs, your long hair bouncing as you went down. The cowboy smirked and exchanged a look with the other men as they observed your rather large chest bouncing. "This, my friends, is Miss Y/N. She was the only one who agreed to join our little expedition. The other students, I'm afraid, were too scared! But this young lady has the courage of a hundred men. Miss Y/N, this is-"

"Isaac Henderson, m'am," the cowboy said, reaching for your hand and kissing it. You grimaced and quickly pulled your hand away. _'How bold of him. Too forward...'_ you thought as you nodded at him. "Pleasure," you responded before turning to the man with the dark hair. "Oh believe me, pleasure's all mine..." Henderson murmured, eyes tracing your curves. 

"David Daniels, m'am, pleasure to meet you." The man shook your hand this time, thankful that he did not plant an unwanted kiss. You smiled sweetly at him, then turned to the last American.

"Bernard Burns, at your service." The bespectacled man shook your hand as well. 

"Pleasure to meet all you fine young lads. I'm Y/N. I'll be assisting Dr. Chamberlain with our little adventure and I will be the one to inform you of what to expect when we reach Hamunaptra."

"Well, now that we are all acquainted, shall we talk about our plans over dinner?" Dr. Chamberlain smiled, motioning all of you to head towards a restaurant within the hotel that you had not noticed earlier. You, Daniels, and Burns led the group while Henderson stayed behind with Chamberlain. 

"I see why you chose her, doc!" he sneered, watching your hips sway as you walked ahead. Chamberlain cleared his throat and shot him a glare. "If you even put one finger on her pretty little head, we are both going to be in larger trouble than you'll ever know."

"Oh yeah? Why's that?"

"That girl's family is the headmaster of my university, and if you do _anything_ to startle her, I will kill you myself." With that, Chamberlain hurried towards the group while Henderson trailed behind, a smirk on his face.

That evening, you told them of the tale of the mysterious city of Hamunaptra over a plate of grilled chicken, yellow rice, and a glass of red wine. Although you preferred to drink whiskey to get inebriated, the wine complemented the meal perfectly. You noticed Henderson could not stop taking glances at your breasts, especially when you leaned forward causing you to sit straighter in your chair. There was a moment where you thought you were being watched, though you quickly shook the feeling as a drunk Henderson attempted to flirt with you. 

As the night went on, more drinks were had, but you had had enough of Henderson. His incessant attempts at flirting were getting rather annoying, and you were getting quite tired anyway. "Henderson, I think she's not interested in you," Burns said nonchalantly as he took another sip of wine. You nodded, agreeing with the statement, and finished your glass of wine before standing. "Thank you, Mr. Burns. I appreciate you clarifying that. Now if you'll excuse me, we have a rather long trip ahead and I need my sleep. Goodnight, gentlemen." The men bid you goodnight before turning back to each other for conversation. As you began your way back to your room, a shiver went up your spine as you felt eyes following you again. 

_'Ugh. Henderson.'_ You turned around, ready to pounce on the American man, however there was no one but other guests walking about. You squinted to see whether he was hiding anywhere, and continued to up the stairs when you heard their loud laughter from the dining area. "Must be the wine I suppose," you said as you climbed. "Stupid Henderson... I'll have to keep an eye on him during the excavation..." As you entered your room, you felt your heart sink. A small note was resting on the floor. You quickly closed the door and steadied yourself against the wall before crouching to grab the note. Your hands shook as you opened the folded note, heartbeat racing. 

**Do not proceed. Turn back, or face** **death.**

You dropped the letter on the ground, and quickly lock your door before rummaging through your room to check whether anything was stolen. To your surprise, nothing was touched. The note must have been slipped in through the cracks of the door. You proceeded to the bathroom to wash your face and change into a nightgown. Someone knew what you were all doing... Someone _was_ watching. You attempted to calm your breathing, though it was rather difficult especially since you were a little drunk as well. Stumbling to your bed, you shook the feeling of fear out of your head. "No. This is my shot. I'm not throwing away my shot." You plopped onto the bed and spread your limbs. "You hear that?! I'm not throwing away my shot!" you yelled at the ceiling. 

Outside your door, the man was listening as he leaned against the wall. He had his arms crossed against his chest, brows furrowed in frustration. ' _This woman...'_ he thought as he quietly walked away from the door. _'God save them.'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys liked my Hamilton reference... I couldn't help it! lol


	2. The Sudan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The crew sets sail for Hamunaptra

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for the kudos! also idk why last chapter's end note keep showing up on this chapter. don't mind it!

**Aboard The Sudan**

You leaned against the railing of the three-decker riverboat, as it sailed through the Nile. Your long hair was bunched in a loose bun that was held together by pins and a sharp blue and gold stick. It was given to you by your father as a good luck charm. At the end of the stick was a blue lotus with golden outlines. He said that the blue lotus would bring you luck and safe travels on your first quest. Your father was a great man, and doted on you quite a bit. Though he is rather protective, he was more than happy to allow you to leave home to follow your heart's desire. This evening you wore a royal blue collared blouse and a mustard yellow skirt with a black and gold belt to match the good luck charm. You felt slightly overdressed for the occasion, however as your father once said, "one can never be _too_ careful when traveling to a lost ancient city."

It was a serene evening even with the sounds of chatter and animals bleating and groaning echoing around you. The stars had begun to twinkle in the sky as the sun slowly disappeared. You craned your neck upwards in search of constellation, but was interrupted by the sounds of movement in the water. You have been on edge since you received that note, though you kept it a secret from everyone. You hid it in your suitcase between the pages of a book despite the urge to throw it away. Someone was watching everyone, and you were set on finding that someone... You looked around the side of the boat in search of any animal or smaller fishing boat that made the sound, but saw nothing. You were on your way back to your previous spot when you saw Henderson had replaced you. He turned his head and straightened himself as he saw you approach, then took off his hat.

"Well good evenin', Miss Y/N. You're looking mighty fine tonight. Hoping to attract someone?" he asked smugly. You rolled your eyes and placed your hands on your hips. "No, Mr. Henderson, in fact I am hoping to find my way back to the cabin to relax before dinner." Henderson chuckled and watched you walk past him, brows furrowed. "Suit yourself, Miss Y/N! I'm sure there'll be lots of boys who would be heartbroken!" You were hurrying back to your cabin when you nearly bumped into another woman. 

"Oh! So sorry! I didn't mean to startle you!" she squeaked, placing a hand on your shoulder to steady you. "Are you alright?" You smiled and nodded as you found your balance. "Yes, thank you. I was just er... running away from a filthy scoundrel. I'm sure you understand." The woman peeked over your shoulder to see who you were talking about, but Henderson had left the scene. "Ah, well it looks like the scoundrel has disappeared! My name is Evy, by the way. Evy Carnahan." The woman offered her hand for you to shake, which you happily took in yours.

"Y/N. Y/N L/N. Pleasure to meet you, Miss Evy. Perhaps we will run into each other later this evening during dinner! As for now, I must head back to the cabin to hide." Evy laughed and nodded. "Yes, Miss Y/N, that would be quite lovely. Good luck on hiding!"

* * *

Along the Nile, a group of men in two small boats creeped through the calm waters. Most of their faces were covered in black cloths except for their eyes. Egyptian hieroglyphs were tattooed across their foreheads and face: Underworld and Truth. One of them began to assemble a hook like weapon on to his hand, eyes locked on the riverboat.

"Ardeth, we need to find the map and the key as soon as possible."

"Yes, with limited blood spilled... but do what you must. We now know that the foreigners do not have the key nor do they have the map. The British woman and her male companions are the ones we are after. Find the key, find the map."

The men nodded silently as they paddled through the Nile towards the riverboat. They maneuvered their boats as silently as possible, careful not to make any loud noises and avoiding the tall reeds and grass. As they neared the boat, the men began preparing themselves for their mission and started the climb. They slithered in the shadows, careful not to frighten the animals. They were quick and silent as they maneuvered their way inside the boat where they positioned themselves in their hiding spots.

The one named Ardeth was quietly listening to the conversations on the deck from the second floor of the riverboat. He noticed the poker game, the foreigners, the three targets, and you leaning against the rails with a small notebook and a pencil. He counted how many men there were, as well as how many weapons they have on board. The Americans were heavily armed compared to the British, he noted. The women were unarmed, though he noticed the sharp hair stick that was in your hair. _'Could be a weapon...'_ he thought as he watched you busied yourself with writing and sketching. The plan was to wait for them to return to their chambers, frighten them a little, then take what has been stolen. He bowed his head in prayer to ask the Gods for protection and luck. Patiently, the men stood still until the moments came. 

You continued to sketch the scene that was playing in front of you: rowdy men playing poker, another American with the Evy woman, Dr. Chamberlain, and various strangers walking about. You were no expert in art, though you firmly believed in the magic of practice. You were beginning to sketch the British man that was playing with Burns, Daniels, and Henderson when you suddenly caught strange movements in the corner of your eye, then shadows on the second floor- where _your_ cabin is. You paused and surveyed the deck, then the other floors. 

"Miss Y/N!" 

You shook your head as the voice broke your trance. "Are you alright?" Evy had turned to look at you with a strange look on her face.

"Ah, yes, sorry. I was just- just concentrating. Did you need something?"

"Oh, I wanted to introduce you to our- er- _guide_. This is Mr. Rick O'Connell, and that one there is my brother-" she pointed at the British man sitting at the poker table, "Jonathan. Why don't you sit down and join me?" You smiled and accepted the offer, taking the seat to her right. "Pleasure to meet you, Mr. O'Connell. I'm Y/N. Assistant to Dr. Chamberlain." Rick was about to shake your hand when Evy's face lit up, her eyes wide with glee. "You're studying archaeology! What is your expertise? We're heading to find Hamunaptra, you see."

"Well, I suppose Ancient Greece and Egypt!" you responded, prompting Evy to gasp with joy.

"Goodness! Another woman in the profession?! How absolutely delightful! Where are you headed?"

"Coincidentally, we're also heading to Ha-"

"That's enough, Miss Y/N." Chamberlain loudly closed his book with a stern look on his face. "I believe you need to organize our equipment and books before we dock, yes?"

You felt your cheeks burning with embarrassment as you excused and bid Evy and Rick goodnight. "Sorry. I suppose I will see you all in the morning then..." As you walked away, you heard Rick's voice call out: "Nice meeting you!" A smile formed on your lips as you skipped your way back to your cabin, the thoughts of new friends dancing in your head. It was so nice to meet another woman with the same passion! 

On the second floor, Ardeth was slipping inside a cabin hoping that this one had the key or the map, and if the Gods gave him such luck, both. As he searched the room, he noticed the two open suitcases: one was women's clothes and undergarments, and the other were books and equipment for excavation. He shook his head as he touched the instruments and books. "Fools," he whispered. He noticed a familiar paper that was tucked between the pages of a book when he heard your footsteps and humming get closer. Quickly, he slipped behind the door, and prayed to everything holy that he would not be caught. 

As you entered your room, you quickly began to take your skirt off and unbuttoning your blouse. Drenched in sweat from the humidity, you figured it was time to wash up before working on the books and tools. Before you could turn around to grab the robe hanging on the hook behind the door, a knife was under your throat.

"Do not move." The deep voice rumbled against your back. Your heart raced as you waited for the intruder's next order. "I will not hurt you, I can promise you that. As long as you tell me where the British woman and her companions' cabins are."

"W-what? Evy? I-I don't know! She didn't tell me! What's this got to do with me?!"

The man carefully turned you so that you faced the door, then led you there until your cheek rested against it. "I take it you read my note, yes?" 

"Y-you! You sent me that! You've been watching me!!"

"Yes, and I see that you did not heed my warning. You kept it a secret... Why?"

"I... I want to find it. I want to learn about -"

"No. If you are wise, Miss Y/N, you will leave this place. Take your things and leave."

Before you could respond, sounds of crashing and voices began to echo in the halls of The Sudan, and within seconds, your intruder had fled. Trembling, you looked around to see whether anything was taken, then quickly found a black nightgown and your black robe to check on the others. Sounds of gunshot rang in your ears as commotion ensued. You ran down the hall, calling out Evy and Rick's names. Men in black were fighting with the passengers, and you did your best to steer clear of the bullets. 

"Miss Y/N! Get out of here! Find somewhere safe!" Burns yelled as he fought the assailants. Your breathing quickened as you continued your search of Evy. You had to warn her before they kill her. Suddenly, you something fast fly by your shoulders, then a sharp pain. A knife had been thrown at you by a man in black who was now approaching quickly. You screamed before fleeing, running straight into Rick and Evy by the side of the boat. 

"Rick! Evy! I need to-"

"No time! Can you swim?!"

"Of course, I can swim if the occasion calls for it!" Without hesitation, Rick had Evy in his arms.

"Trust me, it calls for it!"

Evy splashed into the Nile, gasping for air. "You next!" Before you could refuse, you were also in the water with Evy as you swam to shore. "Oh for goodness sake!" you exclaimed frustratedly. You winced as you felt a throbbing pain from the cut of the knife earlier. "This is just mad!" One splash, then a second one, and then a third one was heard. You saw Rick and Jonathan swimming in front of another passenger you did not recognize. As they quickly reached you and Evy, the five of you were nearing the banks of the river. 

"We've lost everything! All of our tools, all the equipment! All my clothes!" You shivered as the cold air touched your wet skin. Teeth chattering, you wrapped your arms around Evy, hoping to comfort her. 

"HEY! O'CONNELL!"

The five of you turned to see one of the passengers yelling from the other side of the river. "IT LOOKS TO ME LIKE I'VE GOT ALL THE HORSES!" A smug smile played on his face. The expression of triumph.

"HEY, BENI! LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE RIVER!" The smile from Beni's face slowly dropped, realizing that Rick was right. You froze and squinted to see who was on the other side of the river.

"Oh god. They're... they're all over there. I- I'm supposed to be with them! Oh no. Oh no no no no no. Dr. Chamberlain! He'll-"

"Hush now, Y/N. We'll take you back when we get to Hamunaptra. Isn't that where you were heading to as well?" Evy asked hugging and patting your back. You nodded as you took a deep breath in. "Alright. I'll stay with you until then..."

Hidden by the sea of grass, the remaining men in black had boarded their boats, sweaty and bloody from the fight. Ardeth quickly began rowing as soon as the last survivor was on the second boat. "Did anyone succeed?" he asked. The men's head hung in defeat. In silence, they began to head back to their base camp.


	3. Hamunaptra

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is mostly a retelling of the scenes in the movie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Totally mixed up some characters in the previous chapters. I edited them now lol

With all your belongings and equipment gone except for your hair pin and ruined sleeping clothes, the five of you journeyed to a nearby village in search of fresh clothes, supplies, and transportation. The women in the village graciously took you and Evy into a tent where they fussed over your attires and cleaned your wound. They dressed you in a red (and nearly see through) blouse adorned with golden beads and intricate floral designs on the chest, a red veil with a matching sheer beaded face mask, a sash with silver and gold metals, and a long wrapped skirt tied with a thin leather strap. Evy, on the other hand, had the exact same outfit but in black. You would have much preferred the black, but the women insisted that it made your brown eyes pop and that it was the color that resonated with your energy. After getting dressed, they proceeded to help you with make up. Using kohl, one of the women helped you two with your eyes. As the women worked on your faces and hair, Evy cleared her throat and glanced at you.

"How are you feeling, Y/N? Is your arm better?"

"Yes, it's just a little sore, but it's better now. Thank you for taking me with you, Evy. I don't know what I would have done without you all." You reached for her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "I owe you."

Evy waved her hand at you. "No, no! I know you would have done the same for me, Y/N. It's absolutely no problem, and us girls should stick together!"

You smiled at her as anxiety swirled in your stomach. _'Should I tell her about the note?'_ you pondered as the women looked for more kohl. Before you could even speak, Evy was already grabbing your hand again.

"Listen, Y/N. I want to tell you one thing... that night, there was a man in my room. He... He wanted a key and my map. I... I'm not sure why they wanted it, but before you continue this journey with us, I just... I want _you_ to be sure that it should even continue."

"Evy... there was a man in my room as well... In fact, this man has been watching me for the past few weeks. Ever since I stepped foot in Cairo, this man had to have been watching. I think someone knows what we're after. I think we have all been under surveillance." Evy held on to your hand tighter as if to reassure you that nothing would happen to you. It reminded you of your late mother. Without another word, you two smiled at one another. Neither of you needed to say anything else, because you both felt it: a start of a strong bond. This was a friendship that will surely blossom. The women began to cheer and talk to you with words you did not understand. With a mirror, they showed you and Evy the final product. Your eyes were surrounded with beautiful black liner, and your hair was put into braids. A woman handed you your precious pin, telling you to tuck it in your boots for safe keeping. Evy was able to translate for you, and taught you how to say thank you. 

"Shukraan jazilaan lak," you said, repeating it over and over as the women laughed at your terribly accent. Two women helped you and Evy stand to lead you back to the group. In the distance you could hear Jonathan arguing with a man making you and Evy burst into hysterical laughter. Evy was busy with talking to the women as you approached the two men, but you saw Rick staring at her already. His mouth was slightly open at the sight of her. You smirked and nudged her gently. As the two of you got closer, it was almost as if the air changed between Evy and Rick. You felt slightly jealous of them, not because of Rick fancying Evy, no. It was the longing for someone to look at you like that. 

"Well, looks like we're set then, eh?" you asked, turning to Jonathan. He nodded and yelled for Hassan to hurry it up with supplies. Jonathan helped you up on one of the camels while Rick helped Evy. You thanked him as you got situated in your seat. After the men got settled in theirs, you all began the trek to Hamunaptra.

It was a long, sandy, hot, and tiresome journey. Hassan would sometimes begin singing while he ate and drank. You reckon it was so he could entertain himself, and not for his companions' entertainment. "He sounds... _interesting_. A little er- off pitch," you whispered to Jonathan, making him laugh. At night, the desert wind grew cold. You wrapped yourself with what little cloth there was around your seat and attempted to sleep- despite the fact that you knew fully well it would never arrive. You were behind the group now, silently watching the two men sleeping, and Evy slowly resting her head on Rick's shoulder. They were terribly adorable together, and frankly, you were already brewing a plan to get them closer.

While you were scheming, Jonathan had groggily woken from his slumber to smack Hassan making you giggle. Then it happened again- you felt a strange sensation travel up to the back of your head. It was a familiar feeling... You noticed Rick perk up as well, looking at the surroundings before spotting a group of people in the distance. There must have been at least eight or nine of them on horses watching them travel.

 _'Just other travelers, Y/N. Nothing to be afraid of...'_ you thought as you straightened in your seat. _'It's not that man. He can't be here. The riverboat was on fire, and there was no way. I didn't see any man in black escape. That man-'_ You felt your face burn as you recalled the events of that night. _'That man saw me half naked... he saw me. No one has ever seen me. Oh god.'_ Your entire body began to radiate heat as you continued to reminisce. No man has ever seen you like that before, though he _was_ threatening you... Perhaps he saw nothing... too focused on his mission. You gently nudged your camel with your heel to make her move to Rick. 

"You saw them," he said as quietly as he could. "The men on the horses."

You nodded silently. "Yes. Could they be...? I mean it _can't_ be the same men on the boat... could it?"

Rick sighed heavily before turning to you. "Let's hope not."

* * *

At sunrise, you found yourselves meeting your original crew. Beni was on a camel, while the American treasure hunters and Dr. Chamberlain were on horses.

"Good morning, my friend!" Beni said, shooting a toothy grin at Rick. The two men turned the animals to face a vast emptiness in front of them. Evy, Jonathan, Hassan, and yourself followed their lead, and the men on the opposite side did the same. Henderson gave you a wink before turning his horse, making you roll your eyes. 

"What the hell we doin'?" Daniels asked Beni, clearly irritated by the whole situation. 

"Patience, my good barat'm. Patience."

"Remember our bet, O'Connell. First one to the city, five hundred cash bucks," Henderson said as he chewed on whatever filled his filthy mouth. "A hundred of them bucks is yours if you help us win that bet." Beni bowed his head, and turned it slightly to the cowboy. "With pleasure." Henderson looked at you and spit on the ground. "You too, little lady. You better be setting them up with a trap. You belong with us!"

"I don't think so, Mr. Henderson. I'm here for Hamunaptra. For education. Not your silly little bet with Mr. O'Connell," you responded, eyes set on the horizon. "Besides, I feel much _safer_ with Mr. O'Connell." Henderson's eye twitched. You had hurt his ego, and it felt incredible.

"Hey, O'Connell... Nice camel!" Beni sneered. Rick scrunched his face, and gave the animal a few pats on the head.

"Get ready for it," Rick said as he watched the sun. Evy turned to him quizzically. 

"Get ready for what?"

"We're about to be shown the way."

Everyone leaned forward on their camels and horses, squinting as the sun rose from its slumber. Within moments, a hidden city appeared before their eyes.

"Will you look at that?" Henderson breathed.

"Can you believe it?" Daniels responded, equally mesmerized by the sight.

"Hamunaptra..." Burns whispered as his eyes widened. Your jaw dropped slightly as the legendary Hamunaptra revealed its ancient form to you all. It was like magic. The sun kept it secret, but here you all were, hypnotized by its wonders. Rick tilted his head slightly. "Here we go again." In seconds, the men began commanding their horses and camels to begin racing towards Hamunaptra. You were behind Evy, Rick, Jonathan, and Hassan when Dr. Chamberlain caught up next to you. 

"Y/N! What in God's name are you doing with them?!" he hissed as he attempted to steer the horse with one hand. You turned to look at him, a big smile on your face. "Frankly, Dr. Chamberlain, I don't quite know, but all I know is that they're good fun!" You began to copy Evy's commands to the camel was about to catch up to her when you noticed Beni had fallen off his camel, making you swerve around him. It did not take long for Evy to catch up to Rick, smiles on their faces. They were winning! Suddenly, Evy's camel began to groan, and she was off. Jonathan hollered after his sister, cheering her on as she finished the race first.

It did not take long for everyone to begin working. With all the help Dr. Chamberlain had with him, you felt as though you were unneeded. It hurt a little seeing how many people he hired- all men, as usual. You set up your camel with your new friends, but ran straight to Dr. Chamberlain as soon as you hit the ground. You could hear him ordering his crew in Arabic while the Americans stared at Rick, Evy, Jonathan, and Hassan. You climbed up on the structure where your professor stood, waiting for orders. 

"Sorry, sir. I'm here now." Chamberlain pretended not to hear you as he continued to direct the men. Typical. 

"Do they know something that we don't?" Henderson asked. The professor paused and looked at the busy group polishing mirrors and tying ropes. He scoffed, an air of arrogance giving him a false sense of pride.

"They are led by a woman. What does a woman know?" Chamberlain froze, slowly turned to you, his face as red as your clothes. "Y/N... I- er-"

"Is that so, Dr. Chamberlain? Well, since you _clearly_ have enough help here, I suppose you won't need me then. Good day to you, sir, and I can't wait until my father hears about all the dangers _you_ have put me through."

"Miss Y/N, I- I didn't really- No, please stay! Your father doesn't need to-"

"I said good day, Dr. Chamberlain." You gathered your skirt and huffed back to the others, running as quickly as you could possibly go. "Y/N!" Jonathan exclaimed. "I thought you were going back to work with those, er, hooligans!" 

"Well, Jonathan, I think they have enough help. Don't you? Now, let's get those mirrors at the right position shall we?" The five of you worked patiently while Evy instructed you all. Once the ropes were secured and the mirrors were angled correctly, the descent into the ruins was next on Evy's list. Rick went down first, then Evy, then you. The two helped you get down slowly since you were exhibiting high anxiety through the process. Carefully, they took you down and handed you a torch. "Whoo! What is that God awful stench?!" Jonathan complained as he lowered himself to the floor. 

"I believe that's the smell of death," you retorted with a chuckle. "Don't you wish you were smelling that camel again?" Jonathan made some choking noises as he looked around the room. Evy was not phased with the foul odor, and was already working with ancient mirrors that were placed around the room. "Oh!" you exclaimed, realizing their function." Evy began turning the first one on the right. "Let there be light." The group began to move to the next room, chatting along as they marveled at the architecture. As you entered a hall, loud hissing began to echo through the ruins. 

"What was that?!" Jonathan exclaimed as the five of you searched for the thing that had made the awful sound. As the hissing diminished, you and Rick echoed: "Sounds like bugs..."

"What do you mean bugs?! I hate bugs!" Hassan whined. 

As the group approached the legs of Anubis, you and Evy were already in search for the secret compartment hidden in the chamber. Suddenly, eerie moans and chattering began to echo throughout the room. The five of you pressed your backs against the enormous base of the statue. The men took out their guns: Rick and Hassan had two pistols, Jonathan had a small pistol of some sort, and you- well, you at least had your pin. Rick moved first, and found himself facing a row of guns. The rest of you followed his lead, and saw that it was only the Americans and Chamberlain. 

"You scared the bejesus out of us, O'Connell!"

"Likewise."

"Hey! That's my toolkit!" Burns said, stepping in front to inspect the bag in Evy's arms.

"No, I don't think so," Rick responded, aiming his pistols at him.

"Oh- Perhaps I was mistaken..." Burns stepped back with the other men. You and Evy exchanged looks before she bravely spoke first. 

"Well, have a nice day gentlemen. We have a lot of work to be getting along with."

This time, it was an irritated Chamberlain that responded. "Push off! This is _our_ dig site!" 

"We got here first." Evy glared at your professor who looked at you with slight remorse. "She's right, _Allen,_ _ **she**_ did get here first, so why don't you and your little friends run along?" you sneered, folding your arms across your chest. With a few more heated exchanges, you noticed Evy had been looking at the ground and was carefully sliding some sand and debris between a crack. 

"Oh, look, for goodness' sake, let's be nice, children," Evy said, stepping forward and lowering their guns. "If we're going to play together, we must learn to share." She placed a hand on Rick's arm and stared into his eyes. "There are _other_ places to dig." With that, the men put down their weapons and grumbled about fairness and how women "don't know anything." Henderson pointed at you before leaving with the rest. "Traitor!" he hissed angrily. 

"An absolute catch, that one..." Jonathan breathed, shaking his head.

* * *

Evy was right, of course. She had found another place to dig, and they were off to work. "Fantastic job, Evy. Absolutely brilliant!" you said as you reached for the ceiling. "Though, I'm afraid I'm far too short to help with this one." Evy laughed as she took out a trowel. "Why don't you help us with some light, Y/N? Could you- er- yes, that's it. Right there. Perfect." You maneuvered around the room to provide as much light as you could for the three of them, attempting to avoid the sand that was falling from the ceiling. The three chatted as they fiddled with the compartment when Jonathan paused and realized they were one person short.

"Where did our smelly little friend go?" 

Somewhere in the ruins, Hassan had found his way into tunnels that led him to strange room with hieroglyphs etched on the walls. On the walls were beetles that looked to be made from lapis lazuli or some sort of beautiful blue material. He began to take them off of their resting place, greediness swimming in his eyes. 


	4. Medjai

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You find yourself face to face with your intruder

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a wee bit of retelling, then the story begins

Tired and confused, the four of you stopped working and took a little break. You and Jonathan were pretending to play golf, chatting about various games you have played, while Evy and Rick discussed mummification. With a pickaxe, you swung a rock against the wall. "Nice shot, madam!" Jonathan exclaimed, cheering you on. As Evy and Rick's conversation grew more descriptive, you grimaced at the thought of getting a stick pushed up your nose. It gets you every time. You began to feel rather queasy and sweaty, so you reached for your hair pin to put your hair into a messy bun. 

"I'll never get used to hearing about mummification. Absolutely disgusting!"

"For the record, if I don't make it out of here, don't put me down for mummification?" Rick said, making you laugh. 

"Likewise!" Jonathan responded as he took the biggest swing he could. In a matter of seconds, a large structure came crashing down between the four of you. You yelped and jumped back to avoid being crushed. "Christ, Jonathan! Be more careful! You could've crushed me!"

"Er- sorry... lucky you didn't, eh?" The four of you approached the object that had fallen, your eyes grew wide as soon as you recognized what it was.

"Oh my god... it's a sarcophagus... Buried at the base of Anubis... He must have been someone of great importance," Evy said as she slowly put her hands on it. "Or he did something very naughty." You exchanged looks with Jonathan. Same as you, he had the look of anxiety and hesitance. Something told you this was not something to be trifled with, though knowing Evy, there was no stopping her. She began to scramble to grab a brush to sweep the sand and debris off of the sarcophagus.

"Well? Who is it?" Jonathan asked as he grabbed a torch for her.

"He... Who shall not be named..." 

Rick blew air on another part of the sarcophagus, revealing a strange star shaped carving. 

"Evy...? Perhaps we should-" you began to say, your voice small and shaking. You could not shake this strange, chilling feeling that crept up your spine.

"This looks like some sort of lock." Evy inspected the symbol as she mumbled to herself as the boys chatted, then you saw the gears clicking in her head. Your hands became sweaty as soon as Evy realized you needed a key- a key that she had. The key that the intruder was probably after. Evy hurriedly found the key- though it did not look like one to you- and placed it perfectly on top of the carving. She was truly brilliant, though wise, you were not sure. Before she could proceed, the screams of Hassan traveled through the corridor. The four of you ran to find a hysterical Hassan. His eyes were wide with fear, and none of you had ever seen him run that fast before. It was as if he saw a ghost. _'Or a monster...'_ you thought. You opened your mouth to warn Hassan that he was about to run straight into a wall, but it was too late.

"Oh, Christ!" you breathed as you slowly began walking towards him. "Is... Is he... You know? Dead?" You turned to see Rick already heading to the body. He crouched down and inspected Hassan, careful not to touch him. Without another word, he looked up to meet your eyes and swallowed. "We should go back to camp."

* * *

The aroma of food, burning wood, and various animals filled the air as you, Evy, and Jonathan huddled in front of a fire. You rested your head on Jonathan's shoulder, attempting to feel some warmth and perhaps comfort after what you had just witnessed. Rick had gone off to eavesdrop on the Americans and Chamberlain, but mostly because he felt the three of you needed some time to recover. It did not take long for him to return, however you noticed that in his right hand was a large rifle. "

"What do you suppose killed him?" 

"Seems like the Americans had a little misfortune of their own today," Rick responded as he settled next to Evy. "Three of their diggers were melted."

"What?"

"How?"

Rick placed his rifle on the ground. "Salt acid. Pressurized salt acid." He looked at the fire, nodding slowly. "Some kind of ancient booby trap." Jonathan glanced at the other camp, hoping to see one of the victims, then tossed something into the fire. "Maybe this place really is cursed."

You reached towards the fire to warm your hands. "Curses... mummies... it just- it _can't_ be real... could it?" At the same time, a gust of wind blew through the ancient ruins making you all freeze for a moment. "That was just coincidence!" You laughed nervously, though Evy could see how nervous you had gotten. 

Evy broke the trance, and slammed her fists on her lap. "Oh for goodness sake, you three!" 

"Sorry, Evy, I know it's quite ridiculous... Perhaps I just need to stretch my legs." You stood, taking the blanket with you, and began to walk. You weren't sure where you were heading, but it was better than talking about curses all night. "Just a coincidence. Nothing wrong. Nothing wrong. Just a stupid coincidence." You found yourself in a darker area of the ruins, away from both camps. You found a nice quiet place to sit: a small broken piece of a statue. Or perhaps it was a pillar? You weren't certain, but it was far better to be alone at the moment. You stretched out your legs and sighed, gazing at the two camps. The Americans and Chamberlain were already crawling into their tents, while the diggers continued to sit around the fires to chat. They were gathered around various campfires as they ate and drank. In the distance, you saw a dust cloud rapidly approaching the scene, making you stand quickly. The cloud was yelling something familiar. "Oh, no. They're back," you whispered. Climbing over the rocks and ruins as fast as you could, you headed towards the American camp. It was a bold move, but you had to help. You ducked as gunshots flew over your head. Men were yelling and screaming around you as some fell to their deaths. 

"RICK?!" you called as you headed towards a broken statue. Another bullet flew past you, nearly grazing your arm. "CHRIST! RICK?!?!? EVY?!? JONATHAN?!?" One of the men on a horse galloped towards you, a shotgun in his hand. Frozen, you stood there gawking at what you thought was your end. Luckily, Henderson noticed the danger, and shot him. "GO! GO!" he called, motioning for you to run. As quickly as you could, you continued to run deeper into the walls to hide. Unfortunately, it was no use. A man with a sword was already there on his horse. He hid in the shadows, perhaps waiting for your next move. You found yourself frozen again, your entire body shaking. 

"Stay here, Miss Y/N. For your safety."

You cocked your brow. "YOU!" Within seconds, the horse was already rushing past you, and was heading straight for Jonathan.

"JONATHAN!" You bellowed before running after the enemy. Jonathan turned, eyes wide, and attempted to stumble away. 

"O'Connell!!!" he called as he ran for his life. Rick jumped and tackled him off of the horse. The two moved incredibly quick, but Rick was faster. He managed to shoot at his blade, but another one of the men in black was heading towards Rick. Again, Rick was able to shoot the enemy, but found himself facing yet another curved blade of the intruder. This time, he was quicker. You hadn't noticed it before, but the intruder had tattoos on his face. All of them did. With what you can tell, it said "truth." Grabbing the nearest weapon you could, which was a torch, were about to rescue Rick from him when you felt yourself lift off of the ground. An arm was wrapped around your waist, and before you knew it, you were sitting on a man's lap on a horse.

"RIIIICK! EVY!!! HELP!!!" you cried. It was no use. You were already too far away from them, and the horse was galloping as fast as its master commanded it to. You mustered every ounce of energy you could, and began to slap the man. "PUT ME DOWN! PUT ME DOWN, OR-" The masked man growled angrily and raised a small dagger to your throat. "Quiet," he hissed. You swallowed what little bravery you had, and accepted your fate. Finally, the horse began to slow down, and the man pulled on its reigns for a full stop. "Hands," he said, motioning for you to show your hands. He pulled out a rope and started to tie it around your wrists. "Do not be a fool, little one, understand?" 

You nodded and let your head drop as you fought back your tears. "Yes..." It was not long until the sight of more horses came to view.

"Ardeth! I caught one!" You heard the one called Ardeth and his horse gallop next to you and your captor. You raised your head to look at the enemy's eyes. His eyes pierced right through yours. Ardeth had dark brown eyes and a strong nose. The tattoos on his face looked older... worn. You could tell that he had them for quite some time. His dark beard had specks of sand and glittered with sweat. Ardeth looked like a man who leads, and by the looks of it, he did. The other men watched him as he inspected you. Your cheeks were turning red as his eyes traveled from your face, to your neck, then he lingered for a moment at your chest. He quickly looked away, and shook his head.

"Fahri, we did not agree on this." Your eyes widened and your heart skipped a beat when you heard his voice. It was him. Again. The same man that left you the note, broke into your cabin, and earlier at the ruins.

Fahri took off the black cloth that hid his face. He was young. _'He's a child! Not much older than sixteen, probably...'_ you thought. Fahri had the same tattoos as Ardeth, but it looked fresh. He had light brown eyes, a similarly strong nose, and very heavy lashes and eyebrows. Little hairs grew above his lip and on his chin. Compared to Ardeth, he looked so immature and inexperienced. "But, Ardeth... they- they were-" 

Ardeth raised his hand to silence him. "I know. I understand you meant well, but this is not who we are. We do not take unarmed women. We protect." Ardeth pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "We must take her with us for the night. It is too late now... no more blood. Give her to me, and the rest of you-" he turned his horse to face the remaining men- "Head back to camp. As for you, Fahri, we will talk later." Embarrassed, Fahri nodded and hoisted you for the transfer. Ardeth tucked his arm beneath your knees, and the other on your waist, careful not to touch your breast. He cautiously allowed you to get comfortable as he set you on his lap. As soon as the transfer was done, the men took off. Ardeth waited until the men had disappeared. You could have sworn that you could feel his heart racing... He sighed through his nostril and nudged his horse to begin moving. 

"I am sorry, Miss Y/N... I never meant for this. Truly. As an apology, I will untie your restraints and welcome you to our camp. It is far too dangerous for you to return there."

"Look, Mr. Ardeth, I think it's time for you to explain yourself! You have been stalking and- and.. and _threatening_ me since I stepped foot in Cairo! Who _are_ you!?!"

"We are the Medjai, Miss Y/N. Protectors." You looked up at the man, eyes wide with bewilderment. 

"M-Medjai?! No, it... it can't be... I thought the Medjais protected the king? Not.. I don't know... treasure?"

Ardeth shook his head. "We are not protecting treasure. We are protecting the world from the evil hidden beneath Hamunaptra." 

You blinked blankly at Ardeth. _'Evil...?'_ The image of Hassan flashed in your mind. Your instincts were absolutely right. The strange feeling that haunted you all day... There was something in that sarcophagus that must stay locked. Whatever it was, you needed a way to warn the others, but anything you or the Medjais could do would end in failure. Evy was far too committed to stop now, especially when she had the key to the sarcophagus. Dr. Chamberlain and the Americans were driven with greed to stop... And you- well... you yearned for adventure. You yearned for acceptance and recognition as a woman. "What evil is in there?" you ask.

Ardeth stopped the horse for only a moment, and looked at you with fear in his eyes. "A creature that will bring destruction to the world." You knew he spoke the truth. He did not have eyes of a deceitful man, rather you saw through the ruggedness and found him to be someone strong and courageous. He was not as menacing as you once thought, though the last few encounters did not allow you to see his face fully. _'Not bad...'_ you thought as you studied his features. Unbeknownst to you, Ardeth had noticed you staring at him. A sense of confusion with a hint of pride made him smile a little.

"Is my face that interesting to you?" 

Face as red as the sun, you cleared your throat and looked away. "N-no, I was just reading your tattoo! That's all!" Ardeth chuckled, and placed the reigns in your hands. 

"Here. Let me untie you, but you must promise not to run off."

You nodded. "Far too tired from that commotion back there. Just take these damned things off!" He smirked and began to untie your restraints, careful not to burn you with the rope. He tossed the rope over his shoulder, and reclaimed the reigns. "You may sleep in my tent tonight." Ardeth blushed, realizing how that must have sounded. "I will sleep outside, of course. Do not worry. I will protect you. Properly, this time." Without another word, he signaled his horse to go faster. You leaned back against him and held on to the horse, hoping to steady yourself. You could feel his heart racing as soon as you leaned against him. It must have been strange for a woman he had been spying for what seemed like weeks now lean against him like that, but you felt... well, strangely enough, safe. 

In the distance, you could see a light glow and light chatter. As the horse got closer, you saw at least ten tents and men gathered around three campfires. Some were tending to wounds, others were cooking, and some were already snoring in the tents. "Ah! Ardeth! I see you've let our little lotus free!" A man with a white beard stood from the campfire to the right. He limped towards the horse with a smile on his face. He had a kind face with little wrinkles that decorated his eyes, and his beard was painted grey, white, and black. "Lotus?" you asked. The old man tapped the top of his turban. You tilted your head in confusion, then realized he meant your good luck charm. "Oh!" He chuckled and nodded in response. 

"Waaiz. Tend to her while I deal with Fahri. Is he in his tent?"

Waaiz nodded. "Pouting, no doubt."

Ardeth got off the horse first, then placed his hands on your waist to help you down, but was met with sharp slaps from your hands. "I can get off a horse by myself, thank you!" The group of men laughed, pointing at a stunned Ardeth. You skillfully hopped off the horse, and brushed your red skirt free from sand. 

"She's strong one! Come, child, we have food and water here." Waaiz placed a gentle hand on your back, leading you towards the campfire to the right. Around the fire sat four men who were quietly staring at you. "Now, my friends, let us be kind and share what we have with our guest, hm?" The men looked at one another, and nodded in agreement. One of them handed you a flat bread, then another passed a jug of liquid to you. You happily took their offer and slowly nibbled on the bread. The energy of the men were the polar opposite from before. They were tired, defeated, and harmless. The same feeling of comfort and safety washed over you as you observed the camp.

"Now, what shall we call you little lotus?"

"Oh... My name is Y/N. Your name is Waaiz, I presume? Shall I call you Mr. Waaiz?"

The group erupted in laughter. "No, no! We are friends now. Waaiz will do. The one that you bravely stood up against is Ardeth Bay. He is our chieftain."

"Ch-chieftain?!" The words nearly made you choke on the water. " _Him!?_ Isn't he... er- young to be a chieftain? I thought-"

"You thought I was the chieftain?" Waaiz asked between fits of laughter. "Oh, no, my little lotus, no. I am lucky to not have that responsibility. Not as brave nor as commanding, no. Ardeth became our chieftain not too long ago. He has been a great leader for the Medjai." You looked at Ardeth who was tying his horse to a post. The man that had been your enemy was the _chieftain._ The _chieftain_ saw _you_ in your- 

"Are you alright?" Waaiz asked as you actually choked on your water this time. You waved your hand as you coughed on water. 

"Yes, I-I'm fine. Just wasn't expecting to learn that he is the chieftain." 

Waaiz patted your back, and gave you a warm smile. "I know you must be confused and afraid, but I promise you that no harm will come to you. Ardeth is not a bad man. He only serves the people, and I can assure you that we will return you to your friends as soon as we can." You continued to fixate on Ardeth, watching him go into a tent, then finished the rest of your bread. Waaiz noticed this and raised a brow. He could sense your interest and curiosity, but decided to let the game play out. 

"Well! I suppose I will take you to your temporary bed!" Waaiz offered his hand to you, which you happily took. He led you to a larger green tent. Inside was a small roll-out bed with one pillow and a blue wool blanket. An extra set of black clothes were laid on the ground next to it. Waaiz let you go inside before untying the loose fabrics of the tent. "I will let Ardeth know that you are in here resting. He will not bother you, and I will make sure of that." He winked and let the fabric fall, creating privacy. You stared at the bed for a moment before unfolding the blanket and crawling under it. It was not very comfortable, but neither was the one in Hamunaptra. Sighing, you loosened your hair, tucked the hair pin in your skirt, and let your heavy lids close. 


	5. Ardeth Bay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ardeth Bay concocts a plan of action, and you make a deal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> some naughty ish things in here!

**Medjai Camp**

That night, you tossed in turned in your sleep. The images of Hassan's body haunting your dreams. At first you were back in the corridor watching him run for his dear life. You approached the body as soon as he hit the wall, and found him with his eyes and mouth open. It looked as if he died from shock. Suddenly, something twitched in his mouth, and out came a large scarab beetle. It hissed as soon as it noticed you, then three came crawling out. Then ten. Eventually, thousands started to escape Hassan's mouth and were crawling up your legs. You panicked as they climbed up your body, and you attempted to scream, but no sound came out. You tried moving your legs, but it was as if someone had nailed them to the ground. The hissing and loud groaning began to echo throughout the corridor, and you realized that the groans came from Hassan. The body rose perpendicular to the ground, and the head turned to you. Hassan stood with his mouth agape, and slowly dragged his feet towards you. "Death... is.... coming...." he repeated. "Y/N.... Y/N...."

"Y/N!"

You opened your eyes to find Ardeth crouched next to you. He had one hand on your forehead, and another on your shoulder. "I heard screaming. Are you alright?" he asked, wiping the sweat from your head. He helped you sit up before sitting on the ground. You looked around the tent as if you expected to find Hassan's body. "S-sorry. Just a nightmare," you responded as you took a deep breath. "I didn't mean to startle you."

Ardeth examined your face, then placed his hand on your forehead again, flipping it from his palm then to the back of his hand. "You're warm," he noted before reaching for a satchel behind him. "Drink this. It will soothe you." He produced a small pouch, unscrewed the top, and handed it to you. He noticed the hesitance and rigidness in your body. ' _Of course she's nervous... I did threaten her multiple times...'_ he thought. "Do not worry. It's just some tea." You took the pouch from his hands and drank the cool tea slowly. The hints of apricot, mint, and plum danced on your tongue as you took another swig.

"Thank you." Ardeth nodded and handed you the lid. "Did you make it?" 

"No, Fahri did. He wanted me to give it to you when you woke in the morning, but it seems like you need it now... If you don't mind, will you tell me what you saw in your dream?" 

"Oh. Er... Well... There was an incident in the ruins, you see. One of our associates, Hassan... He died. Screaming. He was running down the corridor in absolute hysterics until he ran into the wall. I'm not sure if the wall killed him or if..."

"If what?"

"If he died from fear."

Ardeth inhaled then exhaled slowly as he rubbed his beard. "I cannot say whether you are right or not, Miss-"

"Just call me Y/N, will you?"

"Ah, yes, Y/N... One thing that I _can_ tell you is that the entire place... Hamunaptra is filled with death and traps. If your friend succeeds with her mission, it will bring forth great destruction. This creature. We have feared it for almost three thousand years. He is not of this world, and cannot be killed with our weapons."

You shivered at the thought of this villainous creature skulking about in the halls. The thought of it groaning and hissing as he searched for his victims nearly made you ill. "And this creature... Is it buried there?" you asked in a hushed tone. Ardeth leaned forward and looked into your eyes as if to look for answers.

"You have seen its prison," he breathed. 

"Well... We _found_ something. What it is, I haven't a clue. It can't be... It just can't be this creature."

"Let's both pray to the heavens that it isn't, Y/N. For now, you need to rest. We must prepare for anything when the sun rises."

You threw your blanket off of your legs in panic. "Excuse me? We? _We?_ I thought you were taking me back?! Am I a prisoner now?!"

Ardeth shook his head and placed his hands on your shoulders. "No, you are not a prisoner, but I feel responsible to protect you. What you have told me... If you can tell me everything in the morning, we might have a chance to save the world." Although his hands were rough from labor, the warmth and the tenderness of his touch eased you enough to lay back down. "Sleep. Tomorrow we will talk more. For now, please sleep and rest. I will be outside to protect you." He was beginning to stand up, but you caught him just in time. You held on to his hand and forearm, pulling him down a bit. 

"No, I, er... I feel safer if you'd stay in here with me. Unless if that is inappropriate, of course..." You blushed slightly. There was no harm in what you were asking, right? It was just a simple request to feel more safe. Nothing more. _'Nothing more. Just comfort. That's all!'_ you told yourself as you squeezed him. "I don't mean to make you uncomfortable! I just mean-" Ardeth relaxed his muscles and placed his other hand on top of the one holding his forearm. 

"I understand. I will open the tent enough if that makes you feel better. I will stay, little lotus." You relaxed as he walked towards the front of the tent where he began to tie the opening. The darkness had engulfed the entire camp now. You could hear the muffled sounds of deep breathing and snores of the other men. You were glad that your nightmare did not wake anyone else- or so you thought. In the tent to the right was an eavesdropping Waaiz. As quietly as he could, he lifted the bottom of his tent to watch Ardeth tying the fabric. It was unlike Ardeth to stay inside the same dwelling as a woman, but perhaps the chieftain's heart was beginning to soften. As Ardeth finished his task, he slipped inside the tent and sat next to you, waiting for you to close your eyes.

"Ardeth?" you ask in a whisper.

"Hm?"

"Thank you for your hospitality. Even if you've nearly killed me a few times already."

Ardeth chuckled and crossed his arms. "Sleep, little lotus."

Although you truly attempted to go back to sleep, the presence of the chieftain managed to keep you awake. You would later find what this gnawing feeling truly meant, but for now you firmly believed it was because you have never had a man in the same room with you as you slept. You fell in and out of sleep for what seemed like hours. There was a moment where you finally opened your eyes to take a peek at your personal guard. He had fallen asleep on the ground with his back towards you. It was rather sweet, you thought, for a powerful man to give you respect and privacy. _'British men aren't like him... Father would kill me if he knew!'_ Finally feeling incredibly tired, you felt your body relax and found rest.

Unbeknownst to you, Ardeth was also experiencing the same battle with sleep. At first he thought sitting next to you was the best plan: you would feel safe, and if any of the other men caught him, they would realize nothing sinister was happening. This worked for a few minutes until he caught himself staring at your face, and an urge to brush the strands of hair out of your face began to cloud his mind. _'She is a guest. I must not touch her. I do not know her. This is ridiculous, Ardeth,'_ he thought as he shifted in his position. _'Perhaps I should lay down and face the outside...'_ The change in position helped- for a little while. His mind conjured images of you from the riverboat. He hadn't realized until now how exposed you were, and was now beginning to remember more details. The cream silk and lace brasier with the matching undergarments... The freckles on your shoulders and chest. A warmth enveloped his body as he recalled this moment, and it worsened as soon as his mind took him to the first time he saw you in your red semi see-through top and how it hugged every curve of your body. His trance was broken as soon as he heard you stir, and clenched his eyes shut, hoping you would not notice his current _situation_. Despite every trial and tribulation Ardeth has ever faced, this was by far the most cruel.

* * *

You woke that morning to the sound of men talking and preparing. Ardeth had left your side, but was right outside the tent drinking something warm with Waaiz. You wondered whether he even slept that night as you folded the blanket neatly. Waaiz notice you wake first, and turned to look at you. "Good morning, little desert lotus!" It seems like that nickname has really stuck with you now, but you didn't seem to mind. "Come! There is bread and tea!" He motioned for you to come outside to join them. 

"Good morning, Waaiz. Ardeth." You nodded at the men before sitting in front of them. Ardeth reciprocated the gesture and handed you an empty clay cup and bread. Waaiz lifted a pot and poured hot tea in your cup. "Did you sleep well, Y/N?" Ardeth asked between sips of tea. You looked at the man and noticed the bags under his eyes. You gingerly raised the cup to your lips and shrugged. Waaiz fought the urge to smirk as he sipped his tea.

"Perhaps the young lady had something on her mind like-" 

Ardeth cleared his throat loudly and stood to stop Waaiz from saying more. "Perhaps the old man could go fetch the bullets I asked for earlier." Without another word, Waaiz did as he was told, laughing as he went on his merry way.

"Don't mind him. The old man likes to make jokes." 

"Sure, of course," you said as you tried to hide your face. "Anyway... You mentioned last night that you wanted to talk about the... _creature_. Perhaps we can make a deal?"

"A deal?"

"Yes! Teach me how to use that rifle, and I'll tell you everything I know." You pointed at Waaiz who was holding a rifle, inspecting it closely. "If we are to face imminent death, I would like to know how to protect myself so _you_ can focus on the bigger problems." Ardeth laughed and offered his hand to you. You gladly took it as he pulled you up, not realizing he truly was quite tall, accentuating your small stature. 

"Alright, then. I'll show you the basics, but we cannot waste any bullets nor time. You must tell me everything before we run out of it." Without thinking, Ardeth continued to hold your hand as he took you towards Waaiz. He only let go once Waaiz noticed. 

"Getting rather bold there, Ardeth!" he joked. "Here-" Waaiz handed him two rifles before taking the next weapon from a large sack. "Those are ready to go. Has our little lotus shared her story yet?" He turned to you as he began polishing the pistol in his hands. 

"No, but we made a deal. We will be over there-" Ardeth pointed a few feet below their base camp. "She learns how to shoot, and we get the information we need." 

"Alright, children, but no funny business! Keep your hands to yourself, Ardeth!" Waaiz winked at you before walking off with the rest of the sack of weapons. The men nearby that had heard the exchange snickered to themselves as they continued organizing weapons and bullets. They fell silent as soon as Ardeth shot them a piercing gaze. You placed your hand on his bicep, hoping to distract him and noting how muscular he is.

"Shall we get going?" 

Ardeth nodded and led the way below camp. Along the way, men greeted him good morning, and to your surprise, they greeted you as well. It was as if last night never happened. These men were kind and respectful. The thirst for blood was replaced with curiosity, and you could feel how nervous they were. "Y/N, come here." You hurried along to Ardeth who was already preparing the rifles. He explained the functions of each part of the gun before allowing you to hold it. After testing you, he moved on with holding the gun and trigger safety. Carefully, he guided your arms to the right position. Your heart raced as his strong arms wrapped around you. _'Not the time, Y/N. Absolutely NOT the time,'_ you thought as you tried to focus.

"Steady. Do not pull until I tell you..." Ardeth adjusted your arm, then ran his hands down your back, pressing on the parts that felt tense. "Relax and breathe. Think of weapons as an extension of your body. They are a part of you. Take a deep breath first. Your body is too tense." You did as you were told, though it was rather hard to concentrate when a handsome man was holding your waist. "Good, good. One more deep breath, and shoot right at that rock." Ardeth pointed at a rock pillar a few feet away before putting his hand back on your waist. "Ready? Breathe, aim...." The loud bang echoed in the desert, then a crumbling sound. 

"I did it!" you exclaimed, lowering your weapon. "Not so bad, eh?" 

"Yes, not bad, and now that you have shown you can do it, how about we sit down and talk?"

A deal was a deal. "Alright. I'm ready to talk."

The two of you spent a few hours under the hot desert sun talking about what you discovered and what the foreigners knew. "I actually don't know as much about Hamunaptra as Evy, but I'm afraid that her curiosity has gotten out of control as soon as that sarcophagus almost crushed me. Whatever is in it, I know they will find out soon enough." 

Ardeth rubbed his chin thoughtfully, brows furrowed. "This is not good... Y/N... I know this is not your responsibility, and I know you are no warrior, but I- no, er, _we_ need your help. We need to move. I feel death coming closer and closer..." 

You held out your hand to him. "We have a deal, Mr. Ardeth. On one condition: do not kill my friends. No more blood."

Ardeth took your hand, and kissed your knuckles. "For the lady and for peace, no more blood." The two of you felt a jolt of electricity as soon as his lips touched your skin. A feeling of nostalgia coursed through your veins, making you two stare at one another feeling perplexed. It was as if this was not the first time those lips had touched you before.


	6. Lotus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Strange memories are surfacing while you and the Medjai prepare return to Hamunaptra.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, it's a time travel/flashback ish chapter lol I mean how could I not include one?!

You and Ardeth were frozen beneath the massive rock structures that blocked the sun. It was as if the world stood still, and the impending doom ceased to exist. The jolt of electricity took you into a memory hidden in the depths of your soul, transporting you to an ancient time. Standing in front of a pool of water, you found a different version of you. Although you had the same face and body, your garments were very different. Adorned in gold, lapis lazuli, and the finest linens, this version of you looked like an incredibly important person- or just absolutely wealthy. You attempted to turn your body and found that you had no control. 

"Neferet, my lovely daughter, what are you doing out here?" 

You turned to see a man holding out his arms to embrace you. Behind him were his personal guards: the Medjais. He wore a black and gold skirt and with a layer of white linen beneath and a number of jewelry similar to yours, while the Medjais wore more a humble attire. "We did not see you at breakfast, my dear. Why are you out here?" he asked as he held you tightly. 

"I wanted to feed the birds, father," you responded. In reality, you had been attempting to escape the dreaded meal times with your father and mother. All they could talk about were the potential suitors and the lavish lives you would have if you just picked one. For the past month, your parents have been busying themselves with hunting a husband for you against your wishes. The three of you fought about your future: you wanted freedom to study medicine, but your parents had other plans. ' _They mean well,'_ you'd tell yourself and the birds that would fly to you during time of silence.

As the Pharaoh's vizier, your father upheld the second most important position in the kingdom. Much like the British Prime Minister, your father's paramount duty was to supervise the running of the people, record trade, and even supervised the security for the Pharaoh and the palace. He has hand picked every palace worker from the Medjais to the handmaidens. Ultimately, the Pharaoh does have the final word, but your father's wisdom and loyalty has made him an incredibly powerful man. You share many of your father's personality traits, however you inherited your mother's beauty. Although she came from a lesser noble family, your mother has grown accustomed to the roles of a vizier's wife smoothly. You, however, tend to be slightly more rebellious, especially this past month. There have been multiple instances of you escaping the palace grounds to explore the city, collect flowers and herbs by the river, and recently, the guards have caught you watching a midwife delivering a child. 

"Neferet... I know you are avoiding us, my love. I know how hard it is for you, but you cannot run away forever." 

You pulled away from your father, a look of confusion painted on your face. "What are you up to...?"

Your father turned and motioned towards the Medjais. "This is User." The Medjai walked towards you and your father, stopping just behind him. "He will be your personal bodyguard. I will not have my daughter running around in this city when there are thieves about."

"And I wonder who is in charge of ensuring the people's safety?" you quipped. "I will _not_ be watched like a child!" As you were about to leave, your father grabbed your arm. 

"Watch your tongue, child. You will have User be your guard until you understand your role in this palace!" You trembled as your father's eyes pierced you like daggers. Realizing how fearful you were, he loosened his grip and sighed. "I'm sorry, Neferet. I have had enough of you escaping without any protection. I will make you a deal: we will take a break from finding you a suitor for a few weeks, and you may come and go as you please... but you must have User with you. And here-" He reached into his satchel and produced a long blue stick with a lotus at the end. "This is for your hair. It is made from lapis lazuli. It will bring you luck." You took the stick from your father and inspected it carefully. It was quite beautiful, and quite frankly, it would be a helpful tool when you are out in the fields.

"Fine. I still believe that you should allow me to have a choice who to marry. Right now, I'm not ready, father."

"But you are of that age, my sweet girl! You must-"

"Enough, father! I will make a decision in the future, but please... I beg you. Please halt this search for just... just a little while longer? Besides, as you said, thievery has proven to be quite a dilemma. Perhaps you should focus with that instead of a suitor for me?" You batted your eyelashes at your father knowing fully well he would not be able to disagree. 

"Alright, alright. But promise me to never stray without User." You nodded and watched the Medjai and your father return to the palace. As soon as they were out of the way, you turned to your guard. "Are you really going to follow me everywhere?" 

"Yes, my lady." You grimaced slightly. You always hated being called that, but you knew this was just protocols. In a different world, you could be called by your name without the other person getting punished.

"And are you going to report to my father if we go somewhere, oh I don't know... somewhere he would disapprove of?"

"Yes, my lady. I must report to your father always." You walked around User as your brain thought of a plan. 

"Well... _technically_ you are _my_ guard now, therefore there are times that you can perhaps avoid certain information?"

User glanced at you with a look of confusion. "My lady?"

"If you promise not to tell my father about everything I do, I will reward you handsomely." User pursed his lips as he calculated the balance of this deal. "I'll even let you go home from time to time!"

"I will not leave your side, my lady, but... perhaps you are right. I am loyal to you and the king."

"Good. Then it is settled. Come, let's go to the fields. I must collect more herbs."

* * *

It took you some time to get used to User, but after a month it was the norm. He didn't speak much, but you always tried to make conversation with him even if it wasn't of importance. You were beginning to think he was not fond of you, especially since you would often make him help you with gardening. User was kind and would sometimes laugh or smile at you, especially when you were not looking. You could have sworn you caught him once, making you blush. As time went on, you began to notice his appearance more often. The uniforms of the Medjai were minimal, which quite frankly, you didn't mind. User's muscles weren't the worst to look at, but your favorite part of him was his eyes. Despite how terrifyingly menacing they all looked, User's eyes were full of life and kindness. You commented on it once, but the man stayed silent. It annoyed you how silent he was, wishing he would be more free to speak and do as he pleases.

There was one particular day when User was unable to come to your side, and was replaced by another Medjai. Instead of going about your day, you locked yourself in your chamber reading various scrolls. The feeling of loneliness, irritation, and longing filled your heart that day. By the end of the day, you had fallen asleep on the floor with scrolls scattered around you. The next morning, you gingerly opened your door to find User standing guard. Your heart raced as soon as you saw him, prompting you to say his name with glee. 

"User! You!" You grabbed his arm to turn him around. "Where were you!? I- er- I had duties to help a midwife, and I was unable to leave!"

User stared in confusion. "My lady, I am very sorry. I thought your father assigned a replacement for the day?"

"Well, yes!"

User bit his tongue to stop himself from smiling. "Was he not to your liking?"

The words nearly made you explode. You felt your knees turn weak, and your face felt hot. "I.. W-what- Well.. I mean-" you stammered as you searched for a witty remark. User stifled a laugh and cleared his throat. 

"My apologies for the inconvenience, my lady. I did not mean to upset you. I did not think I needed to tell you that the King needed me to escort his new bride."

"Well, you do! From now on, just tell me when you're leaving so I can rearrange my schedule! It was absolutely irresponsible of you!" 

"My lady, I promise to never keep you waiting." User's voice was low and husky, making you even weaker. You wondered whether he did that on purpose, but you shook the idea out of your head. _'He's a Medjai! This is just him being silly, that's all... nothing more. There couldn't be...'_

"Are you alright, my lady? You seem... unwell. Your face is rather red." Infuriated, you stomped back into your room and slammed the door shut. A smile grew on your face as you started to clean the floor from the mess you had made. He was _flirting_ with you. 

* * *

"Y/N...?" 

You broke from the past, and found yourself on the ground with Ardeth kneeling next to you. "Y/N, are you alright?" He propped you into a sitting position as you came to your senses. "You fainted after I- Well, er, perhaps its best not to discuss it. Maybe you need some water?" Ardeth supported you as he helped you stand. 

"What? I fainted? You mean you didn't... Never mind. Yes, actually I'm quite parched." Ardeth nodded and wrapped an arm around your waist. "Enough talking and training for the day. Take it easy for the rest of the afternoon. We ride back tonight," he said. The two of you slowly walked back to camp. As soon as the other men saw you, they stopped what they were doing to gawk. Ardeth said something in Arabic, and in an instant, Fahri came running with a jug of water which you quickly took.

"Don't drink too fast now. Take it easy. Fahri, will you take her back into my tent? And fetch her some of the dried fruits." Without another word, Fahri had his arms around you, careful not to startle you. He took you back into Ardeth's tent where he set you on the roll out bed. Fahri was quite quick. As soon as you had settled, he disappeared and reappeared with the fruits. "Miss Y/N, please eat slowly and drink a lot of water. And... And I want to say sorry for taking you here. It was not my place." Fahri lowered his head, waiting for a response.

"Fahri, I understand now. It's quite alright. You learned, and that is all that matters. I forgive you." The boy raised his head, and with watery eyes, gave you a smile. He bowed, and left you in the tent. For a little while, you continued to snack and hydrate, but eventually began to nod off. Outside, the men had moved on from preparing for another battle to preparing a meal. Younger Medjais were distributing more breads, dried meats and fruits, and tin cups for drinking. Sitting outside your tent was Ardeth and Waaiz. You tried to keep your eyes open and attempted to stay awake, but it was no use. Once you were asleep, the men felt free to talk.

"We cannot take her with us tonight, Ardeth. She could be killed by that creature. If we cannot protect those who are there already, we can at least protect her."

"I understand, Waaiz, but she is the only one who knows where the foreigners have hidden that key. We need her."

Waaiz sighed, shaking his head. "You fool... Alright, alright, but at least give her a knife or a dagger to protect herself."

"No. They will be suspicious. I will be nearby to make sure she succeeds, and if she does not, well..." Ardeth swirled the water in his cup. "Then I will do my best to make sure she does."

"You truly are a fool. In any case, let us hope that she will be well rested after that little fainting spell."

Ardeth fell silent as the two men looked over their shoulders to check on you. "Waaiz... Something strange happened before she fainted." The old man leaned forward with interest. "I am confident you will not speak of this to anyone else, but... Well I had the _urge_ to kiss her. She held her hand out to me, and something took over me. I kissed her hand, and it was as if electricity shocked my entire body. After that, well, she fainted."

Waaiz chuckled, lightly patting Ardeth's back. "My boy, perhaps you are just attracted to her?" 

"No, it was something strange. I swear to you, Waaiz. It was as if I have done it before." Waaiz's smile slowly disappeared, replaced by confusion. 

"Ardeth... perhaps you are connected? Somehow... perhaps in another life?" 

The young chieftain stayed silent. The gears in his head whirring as he searched for any explanation. "I do not know, Waaiz. What I do know is that I must protect her with my life if I am to find answers."


	7. Doom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You return to Hamunaptra with the Medjai.

You were able to rest for a few hours that afternoon. By the time you woke, the sun was beginning to set, and Ardeth was busy with commanding his men. Groggy and thirsty, you made your way outside to find water, but Waaiz found you first. His brows were furrowed and his face was solemn despite the small smile that he flashed to you. A mask. You could feel the tension in the air as men worked around you, keeping their heads low. There were some who were praying in Arabic, and some pacing nervously. 

"Y/N, you are awake! Are you well rested? Can I offer you anything?" Waaiz asked. You have only known the man for a day, and the fact that he called you by your name and not "little lotus" gave you an unnerving feeling. "Perhaps some fruits and water?"

"Just water would be nice, thank you..." The old man motioned for you to come with him towards the tent across from Ardeth's. Inside was a group of men sitting in a circle eating quietly. Like the men walking about, their heads were bowed. Waaiz spoke to them in Arabic, and suddenly you were being handed a cup of water from a tin cup. You attempted to say thank you in Arabic which made them chuckle lightly.

"Not bad, Y/N. Your pronunciation might need some help, I'm afraid," Waaiz teased. "When you have had your fill, I believe we need to find Ardeth and have a little chat." You helped yourself to one more cup of water before proceeding to the next task. You and Waaiz walked back outside in search of the chieftain who was getting his horse ready. 

"Ardeth, it's time," Waaiz said as the two of you approached him. He looked at the sky to watch the last bit of sunlight disappear, replaced by the twinkling stars and the moon. Ardeth nodded and looked at you with the same solemn look that Waaiz had. The old man turned to you with a softer expression, and placed his hand on your cheek. "My child... I believe there is a reason that you are here with us. Ardeth and I believe there is more to you than any of us could ever know. We seek your help, my child. We need you to help us stop the creature before it has a chance to take a breath."

"Me? How? I don't know any secrets to defeat this creature! How could I even help?! I'm not a warrior, Waaiz."

"No, you are not, but you have a way with words. You are fierce, and although we have only known one another for a day, I know that you are intelligent and brave," Ardeth added. Waaiz let his hand fall back to his side, then folded it across his chest. "We need you to go back to their camp and take the key without them noticing."

"Ardeth, I don't think you understand! I can't-"

"No, little lotus. You _must."_ Ardeth stepped closer to you, making you crane your neck up to him. "This is a matter of life or death. This is not just life or death for us, but the entire world... Please, Y/N... We need you, but if you... if you feel that this is something that you cannot do, we will understand." You sighed and bit your lip. Looking into his eyes and feeling the electric energy that sizzled between you, it felt as though there was no way to deny him.

"Fine. I'll help, but promise me that you will be close by?" 

Ardeth smiled and nodded. "Of course I will. I will not leave your side. I will always be close by." For a moment, it felt as though an echo from the past whispered the same words in your ear. Every fiber in your body told you that Ardeth had said those words to you before, and you felt a sudden urge to wrap your arms around him. Little did you know that Ardeth felt the same strange sensations as he spoke. For him, it felt as though _he_ was not speaking- as if he was just lending his voice from someone in the past. _'Fight it back,'_ you thought as you fidgeted. Waaiz noticed the strange connection between the two of you and how invisible forces were stopping you from reacting. 

"Right, well I will leave you two with whatever preparations need to be done. I think I need to help the men staying behind to prepare medicines and such..." Waaiz left as quick as he could, disappearing inside a tent. The two of you stared at one another for what seemed like ages before you found your voice.

"Ardeth, in case I fail, I-"

"You won't. Even if the creature rises, my heart tells me that it will not be because of you." He placed his hands on your shoulders, his thumbs rubbing you gently. "Remember what I have taught you: breathe, loosen your body, and pull the trigger. Like I said, I will be close by." Ardeth looked up to the sky and sighed. "I believe it is time, little lotus." He reached into a satchel attached to his horse's saddle and took out a small brass dagger. "This is for you. In case of any trouble and for luck."

You took the dagger and inspected the intricate details on it. To your surprise there was a lotus carved upon the blade with ancient hieroglyphs on it. You smiled as you ran your finger down the sketches, and just as quickly as it appeared, your smile disappeared. "Ardeth, I'm not a murderer... I'm afraid." You pushed the blade back to him, hoping that he would understand.

Ardeth motioned you to get on the horse, then called out to the men that they were all leaving in a few moments. As gracefully as you could, you hopped on the horse. He waited for you to get comfortable before joining you. "Little Lotus, the Medjai will do everything they must to protect the world. Even if it means killing another. This dagger has been passed down to me from one Medjai chieftain to another. Legend has it that this was a gift from a noble woman who died from a broken heart." As soon as the riders were on their horses, Ardeth led the way as he told the tale of Neferet and the Medjai she died for.

"There was once a noble woman that fell in love with a Medjai. Her love for him was not immediate, but it grew as they spent more time with one another. Her father served as the vizier to the king and wished for her to marry another noble, but the noble woman fought against it. She would spend her evenings with the Medjai when everyone was asleep, and they would teach one another about their expertise. The Medjai taught her how to protect herself and fight, and the woman taught him about medicine and other things she learned from scrolls. Then, one day, he was gone. Her father received word of their secret, and assigned him on a mission- away from her. It is unknown whether he returned alive or dead. There are various endings to this legend. One depicts that he was killed, and the woman died of a broken heart, other people have said she was forced to marry another and they both died from broken hearts. What is known is that she had this dagger made for him."

As Ardeth told the story, you began to feel a sharp pain in your chest. "What was her name?" you asked. 

"Neferet."

* * *

**Thebes**

As days passed, your parents had forgotten about their search for a husband. With the wedding preparations for Anck-Su-Namun and the Pharaoh, and the increasing crime rate in the city, they decided their search was not as important. Being the only child, your parents were pleased with your change of attitude. They noticed how you have been spending meals with them again, and from time to time, you would even invite them to garden with you- when time permits. After the little incident with User, you started ignoring him when the two of you were alone. The silence was not caused by anger, no. It was the effect from the feelings you felt towards him that were dangerously growing. User noticed the change, but he hid his thoughts from you as he suffered in silence. A part of you wished that he would protest, but you believed that his respect and loyalty for the nobles were important to him. 

One afternoon, you decided to sneak out to the city while your parents were busy with wedding preparations. It was easy to leave when everyone was tending to decorations and inspections. You took your a few items with you and placed them in a leather bag, then headed out the palace using your usual route that hid you the best with User following behind diligently. In the city, you made your way to the markets. Although you did not need to purchase any foods for yourself, you always bought some to give to various people in need. Sometimes, you liked to purchase various jewelry and clothes if you notice User glances at them, hoping that he might fancy seeing you wearing it. This day however, you were in search of a gift for him as a way to apologize for your actions. You snaked through the market and found the blacksmith. You motioned to User to stay back as you talked to the smithy. Confused, User obeyed, but kept a close eye on you. He noticed some people staring at you and himself, but stayed focused. He couldn't see what you were doing, but he noticed you taking out an item in your bag. He saw the man nod, turn, and began to work. You returned to User and continued your way through the market. Although the curiosity grew, he felt it was best to stay quiet. After purchasing a various goods, you led him back to the smith where you motioned for him to stay back once again. You thanked the man, then began to walk to the outer edge of the city towards the river. 

"My lady, the sun is setting, and I think it is best if we-"

"Hush, User. Just come!" 

The two of you walked continued to walk until you reached the banks of the river. It was a calm scene this evening. No fishermen, but plenty of birds. You sat down on the ground and produced food and a bottle of wine you had purchased earlier. "Sit with me, User." 

"But-"

"Sit with me," you repeated. User sighed and sat beside you in confusion. "I wanted to apologize. My behavior towards you has been cold, and I want to think that we are friends despite our differences in position. Although you are my guard, and I am..." you paused, "I am your _mission,_ I believe that we have been able to create a friendship. I have been unfair towards you, so I got you this gift." From your bag, you took out a small wrapped item and presented it to him. User accepted and began to unwrap a brass dagger with the word "luck" and the image of a lotus etched on the blade. "Please accept it as a token of my gratitude and as an apology... I did not mean to be so cold. I've just been thinking about..."

User smiled as he ran his thumb along the blade. "This is beautiful, my lady. I appreciate the gesture, but I think I understand why you have been so quiet." You blinked as your face turned pink.

"You do?"

User turned to you, and placed a hand under your chin. "I think you do too." The Medjai leaned in and planted a soft kiss on your lips. Without hesitation, you closed your eyes and wrapped your arms around his neck, pulling him closer. The taste of his lips on yours melted your entire being. You have been imagining this moment for many weeks now, and this moment was more incredible than your imagination. Out of instinct, you opened your lips slightly, allowing him to deepen the kiss. His tongue traced the entrance until he could fully devour you. After a few seconds, the two of you pulled away panting. 

"My lady, I'm sorry, I-"

"User, enough with the formalities. I am Neferet, and you are User, and... and I think I am falling for you."


	8. Forbidden

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> EXPLICIT! Do not read if under 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is. Kind of. Don't worry, there will be one for "present" ardeth soon

"I'm falling for you," you whispered, placing a hand on User's cheek. "I did not expect this outcome between us, User. I am sorry if this makes you uncomfortable in any way." User chuckled and kissed your forehead. You closed your eyes once more as he moved back to your lips. He was more gentle this time. It felt as if he was taking his time to taste your lips. You began to feel him pushing you down to the ground, and suddenly he was hovering above you. You blushed as you looked into each other's eyes, mirroring the same passion and hunger to devour one another. Slowly, he placed his hands on your thighs and ran them up to your waist. You felt a warm sensation building inside you as he leaned to plant kisses on your neck and collar bone. 

"You smell like a garden," he whispered against your skin. "Such beauty..." You shivered as a thumb caressed the heat between your legs. User moved his head lower towards your bosom. He took a deep breath before kissing a stiffened peak. A soft moan escaped your lips as he circled his tongue around it, mimicking the motions between your legs. He paused to look at your face, smirking smugly. "Is this what you want?" he asked huskily. At the same time, User slipped a finger inside your folds making you arch your back.

"Please," you whispered as you instinctively began grinding against his fingers. User began to pump his finger inside you, careful not to hurt you in any way. Once he noticed how much you enjoyed it, he slipped another while the thumb continued circling the bud that had gotten so swollen. Your essence dripped down your legs as you groaned and moaned. User enjoyed seeing and hearing you like this, not just because he was a man with hunger, but he had been imagining this experience only with you for the past month. As you got closer to your climax, he stopped.

"W-what are you doing?" you complained, the sound of irritation apparent in your voice. "I was just-"

"Be patient, my lady... I need you to lay down and relax..." You did as you were commanded and waited for the next move. You gasped as soon as User ran his tongue up your slit. He swirled and flicked at every part of you before devouring you completely. He hummed and moaned as he worked his tongue in you. Without hesitation, you began running your hands all over your body, biting your lips as you reached your climax once again. User pulled away to watch you writhe beneath him. The way your skin glistened and how the fine linen had fallen off your shoulders to reveal your bosom to him finally drove him mad. With a little more ferocity, User placed one hand on your hip to steady you. 

"Are you sure about this?" he asked as he lifted his wrap skirt, revealing how _ready_ he was.

"Do not hesitate, User. I can handle it."

User ran his tip along the slit to prepare you, then slowly slipped it inside. He watched you intently to ensure your comfort. He noticed you wince slightly, and paused to let you breathe. Once his sword was fully sheathed, you opened your eyes and raised yourself. You placed your hands behind you for support and began grinding against him. User blushed as he watched you move, then began kneading your breasts, twisting and pinching your erect peaks. You tossed your head back as you moved faster and harder. You felt User work his mouth on your breasts, then a sharp tug on your scalp. User had grabbed ahold of your hair as he grunted and took control of you. Pushing you down, User quickly found your wrists and held them above your head with one hand while the other dug into your hips. You then wrapped your legs around his torso, arching your back with every hit. He could see you nearing your edge once again, and leaned down to whisper in your ear, "let go, my lotus, let go." 

Before you could scream his name, User clasped his hand on your mouth as he groaned against your neck, spilling inside you. Panting, User planted trails of kisses all over your chest and stomach before returning to your lips. "We must be careful, Neferet," he said before kissing. "I could not bear to lose the only joy I have in my life."

* * *

In the present, night has taken over, and the Medjai were soon at full speed towards Hamunaptra. You leaned against Ardeth as the horses galloped. You could feel Ardeth's heart racing as the silhouette of the ruins began to appear. Ardeth was about to stop to get his men to go over their plan when the roar of a black cloud crescendoed over the valley. Not too far away from the ruins, a strange black cloud flew straight into the structures. You heard the men whisper and gasp as the horses whinnied nervously.

"What is that? Looks like a cloud..."

"That's no cloud, Y/N. Those are locusts. We are too late." Ardeth turned his horse and spoke to the men in Arabic, then they were off once again. It felt as if the horses were moving even faster now. Once you and the Medjai warriors arrived, you gasped in horror as you saw skeletons and thousands of locusts around. Some were in search of an entrance to the tomb, and others were picking off what was left on the bones of the bodies. "That's... That's not a mummy is it?" you asked shakily. Ardeth jumped off the horse, then quickly got you off as well. As soon as your feet hit the ground, the others had disappeared to go inside the tomb, swords drawn. 

"No, and there is no time for explanation. My men and I are going inside to try to stop this evil. I need to know two things before I join them... First, are you with me?"

"Well, I don't think there are any other choices left for me, so yes."

"Good. And lastly, do you trust me?"

Without hesitation, you breathed, "Yes."

Ardeth nodded, the look of relief on his face. "Good. Let's go. Stay close and keep your dagger out." He covered his face then took your hand.

The two of you followed the last few men inside. It was dark and cold, and the aura of death felt stronger inside. It smelled of rot and decay, but it was unlike when you first entered... It smelled stronger. Screams echoed through the tomb, making your flesh crawl. "Do not be afraid, little lotus, but stay close," Ardeth whispered as he pushed you in front of him. An overwhelming feeling of terror filled your stomach as you and the Medjai maneuvered your way through the twists and secret passages. A low growling then a loud scream traveled through the tomb.

"There!" Fahri whispered, pointing to the right. The men quickly followed the screaming with you in tow. "Remember men, we must be very careful. May the Gods protect us," Ardeth whispered. Then there it was: Burns on the ground. "Burns!" you gasped. He was curled up on the ground moaning with his hands covering his face like a child. You were about to approach the man when Ardeth grabbed your arm. "No. Stay here. Waaiz, inspect him." Waaiz nodded and approached Burns carefully. With his foot, Waaiz turned Burns to reveal the empty holes on his face. 

"H-help m-me..." he croaked as he reached towards Waaiz. Before you could even scream, you found yourself in Ardeth's arms, face buried in his chest. You felt your eyes begin to water as the image of Burns was scorched into your brain. "Oh god, no, Burns... Christ, Burns... How could this happen?" you sobbed. With one hand, he unsheathed his curved sword, and whispered more commands in Arabic. Feeling a little more brave, you pulled away from Ardeth and watched the men drag your American colleague out of the area. He then turned to you, one hand cupping your chin.

"I've got you. I swear it."

You nodded and wiped your tears away. "I know. I'm sorry it was just shocking. I can do this."

"Good girl. We must leave this place and check the surrounding areas for survivors."

The two of you hurried back outside where the men had already found Dr. Chamberlain. His face was pale and sweaty. You could tell he was trembling as he stared at the ground clutching a book against his chest. "Dr. Chamberlain... what happened?!" You rushed to the man and kneeled in front of him. He nervously met your eyes as his teeth chattered. 

"Th-they read the book.. Y-you must n-not read from the b-b-book."

Ardeth crouched beside you and looked at the book in question. "It is far too late. Get ready, men." You moved to Chamberlain's right side and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. You attempted to comfort the man, though you were beginning to feel frightened by the second. Suddenly, familiar voices began to echo the exit. As soon as Rick, Evy, Jonathan, Henderson, and Daniels came into view, the Medjai aimed their guns at them. Ardeth stepped forward and took his mask off.

"Y/N!" Evy exclaimed, shocked to see you with the men whom she thought were enemies.

"I told you to leave or die. You refused. Now, you may have killed us all, for you have unleashed a creature we have feared for more than three thousand years."

"Relax, I got him," Rick responded nonchalantly, making your eye twitch slightly at his ignorance.

"No mortal weapon can kill this creature. He's not of this world!"

Two men carrying Burns came from the back, dragging his limp body to the Americans.

"You bastards... What did you do to him?!" Daniels and Henderson demanded.

"We _saved_ him. Saved him before the creature could finish his work," Ardeth snapped. "Leave, all of you, quickly, before he finishes you all." Ardeth turned to you, making you stand. "I cannot take you with me. You must leave this place. For your own safety. Keep the dagger close. I will find you to take it back some day," You felt a sharp pain in your chest as if the man had just broken your heart. Although every fiber in your body screamed against his wishes, you knew he was right. You nodded and leaned to kiss his cheek. The same electric feeling ignited both of your skin. 

"Thank you, Ardeth."

Rick, Evy, and Jonathan exchanged looks of confusion. Jonathan leaned to Evy and whispered, "Since when did they become an item?" 

Ardeth spoke a command to the Medjai that immediately made them head back inside. "I must now go on the hunt, and try to find a way to kill him," he said as he followed. 

"I already told you. I got him," Rick responded. Ardeth stopped in his tracks and turned to Rick. "Know this: this creature is the bringer of death. He will never eat, he will never sleep, and he will never stop." Without another word, the man was gone. You fought back your tears, confused as to why you felt as though part of you has been ripped apart. You turned back to Dr. Chamberlain and attempted to raise him from the ground. 

"What the hell was that, Y/N?! Have you been with them from the very beginning?!" Rick demanded. "Because it kind of seems like there's something going on between you and mister tough guy over there!"

You shot Rick a glare as you supported the professor. "You really think I knew those men before I met the likes of you? Don't be stupid, O'Connell. Let's focus on now. Let's leave before that thing, whatever it is, comes out!"


	9. Back to Cairo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and the others return to Cairo to figure out a solution.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to be clear, smut flashback was not really part of your experience. I wanted to write a true flashback that was separate if that makes sense lol

As quickly as possible, you and the others gathered as much equipment and belongings as you could and hopped on the remaining horses and camels to journey back to Cairo. Although the others had many questions for you, they held their tongue as you all rode in silence. The air felt so different now as if there was no vision for hope or joy. For you, it was not just because an evil creature has risen from its tomb, rather it was a strange emptiness and longing to be with a man you only knew for a day. The strange vision of you and User, the man who looked eerily similar to Ardeth, played in your head over and over throughout the journey. You reached for the dagger, and traced its hilt, then found yourself trying to find your lucky hair pin. You gasped as you frantically searched for it.

"Y/N? Have you lost something?" Jonathan asked sleepily. 

"My hair pin... it's gone!"

Jonathan yawned and stretched. "Well, you're alive. Perhaps it has served its purpose."

You frowned and accepted the fact that he was probably right. You leaned to pet your horse before attempting to get some rest.

Ardeth and the men ran through the tomb of the creature in search of some sort of answer to their prayers. They went through every chamber and corridor, but found nothing but sand and scarabs. The creature was gone, and they had no lead. Defeated, they exited the tomb to check the camps. As they combed through the remaining items and tents, Ardeth stopped in his tracks when he saw the little blue and gold lotus hair pin that was half buried in the sand. He slowly picked it up, smiling as he held it in his hand.

"Hm... It seems as though you and our little desert lotus have not finished your story yet." Ardeth turned to see Waaiz leaning against a broken pillar. "I do not think the girl would have dropped something precious like that, Ardeth. There is more to the story, and I would like to see how it ends." With a wink, he walked away to head towards the other Medjai. Ardeth watched him disappear, then returned to staring at the pin. He caressed his thumb over the lotus.

"Y/N..." 

It was _his_ turn to see the past.

* * *

You and User walked through the halls of the palace in silence as you observed more guests arriving for the wedding between Anck-Su-Namun. They bowed to you as you passed by. You were about to turn a corner when you nearly ran into a black in white and gold attire. User immediately reacted, and made sure you did not fall. "I'm terribly sorry! I was not paying too much attention!" You looked up to the man you ran into, and immediately bowed. It was one of the princes that had recently arrived.

"Do not worry, my lady, though your guard seems to think he can lay his hands on you. Shall I cut them off?" he sneered as he cocked his head slightly.

You looked down to find User's hands still on your waist. "N-no, my prince, my guard was simply making sure I did not fall."

"I could have helped you with that, my lady...?"

"Neferet, my prince."

"Neferet... A beautiful name for a beautiful woman. Please call me Prince Aziz." The prince took her hand and planted a kiss on top of her knuckles. User's eye twitched slightly, but he did his best to remain calm. You, on the other hand, nearly slapped him away, but managed to control your disgust. The prince lingered on your hand a little longer than expected, making you nervous. "Your heart is racing, my lady, are you alright?" Aziz asked with a smirk.

 _'Smug. It's not beating for you...'_ you thought. "Ah, yes, I was just surprised, Prince Aziz."

"Well, I hope to see you during the festivities this evening... Perhaps we could..." he began to circle you, "get to know one another..." Aziz reached for your hair and tucked it behind your ear. 

"We shall see, my prince. Have a pleasant day," you responded as you quickly headed out the palace. Once you and User reached the market, you silently headed towards the edge towards the river. The memories of the first time flooded both of you, cooling the anger towards the prince. You let out a loud sigh and began kicking rocks and dirt. 

"Disgusting!" you hissed as you started throwing rocks. "How _dare_ he?!? I hate men like that!!!!"

User suppressed a smile as he watched you let out your frustrations. When you had had enough, User approached you and wrapped his strong arms around your waist, his head nestled at the crook of your neck. "Do not mind him, my love." He began planting kisses along your neck and shoulders making you shiver slightly. "He is only doing what princes do... Perhaps you two would make an excellent couple." You turned to face User, rage in your eyes.

"How dare you?! I don't want that, you know I only want you!" User smiled and leaned to kiss you.

"I know, my lotus," he whispered against your lips. "I am yours."

That evening, you dressed in your finest attire. Adorned in jewels and gold, you headed to the party that your father put together for the guests and the pharaoh. In the dining hall, you noticed that the Medjai were stationed along the edges of the room, including everyone's personal guards. You bit your lip knowing that User would not be with you at all times this evening. You gave him a look of worry, though User simply responded with an emotionless nod and headed to find a spot against the walls. Despite the blank expression, you could see his sadness in his eyes.

"Ah! Lady Neferet! There you are. I have been looking for the most beautiful woman in the room, and here you are." Prince Aziz walked through the crowd with a golden chalice in his right hand, and a leg of lamb in the other. His curly brown hair bounced as he made his way towards you. You almost cringed when you saw the bits of food stuck in his beard. 

"Hello, Prince Aziz. I see you have been enjoying yourself this evening..."

"Not yet, my lady. I have been searching for you in hopes that you could perhaps accompany me to the gardens?"

"Ah, I'm sorry, my prince. I am here on behalf of my father. I must assist him with-"

"Nonsense. I am a prince, and a guest here. He will let you if I command it."

You forced a smile and bowed. "Of course. Please follow me. You may need to leave your er- lamb here." 

Aziz followed your suggestion and placed the lamb on the table. He grabbed a linen to wipe his hands and face before following you. As you exited the dining hall, you gave User a look to signal him to follow you as well. Keeping his distance from you and the prince, User silently fumed as you all headed to the gardens.

As you and the prince chatted about the flowers, you felt him make multiple attempts to get closer to you, however you made sure to move to another part of the garden as soon as he inched closer. Clearly frustrated, the prince finally addressed the issue.

"My lady, you wound me. Won't you come closer and let me look upon your face?" 

You paused as you were about to show him the jasmines. "I'm sorry, Prince Aziz, I am simply shy. I do not mean to wound you." Aziz laughed and approached you. He reached for a jasmine, plucked it, then placed it on your ear. 

"There. Much better. You're absolutely beautiful under the moonlight. Won't you join me this evening?" 

User clenched his jaws as he listened to the exchange. Before you could answer, you heard your name being called.

"Neferet! I see you have met Prince Aziz!" Your father walked towards you, face red from alcohol. "Thank you for treating my princess so well this evening, Prince Aziz, however I must steal her away for a moment!"

"Yes, of course," Aziz responded. Once again, he reached for your hand to give it a kiss. "Until we meet again, my pretty flower." Quickly, you walked towards your father, heart pounding. Something about the prince made your skin crawl, and you were so glad to remove yourself from that position. As you and your drunk father headed back in the palace, User followed behind. You could almost feel the heat from his anger radiate behind you. Your father led you back to the party where he introduced you to other royalty and nobles- single men, in particular. Some were old, some were your age, and some were far too young. It did not matter to him as long as they were of the right status. It sickened you how some of them looked at you like a piece of meat. It was that night that you began formulating a plan to escape.

"Father, I am terribly sorry to end such a grandiose evening, however I am feeling rather ill. Probably from all the wine." You pretended to fan yourself as you spoke. Your father chuckled and waved his hand to excuse you. You bowed to the nobles and royals before exiting the hall with User. Once you were out of sight, you began to run to your room with User trailing behind you. "Neferet!" he called as you ran. "Slow down!" You ignored his request until you reached your door. Panting, you leaned against the door with tears forming in your eyes. 

"User, I cannot do this." User sighed and nodded. He knew exactly how you felt. It is the same feeling that he has been experiencing since your first night together. "Please, I need you tonight." He blushed at the request, but followed you as soon as you entered the room. As the doors closed, you threw yourself into his arms and devoured his lips. His arms wrapped around you, hands exploring your body. Without hesitation, you led him to your bed.

* * *

Ardeth fell to his knees clutching the hair pin in his hands. Bewildered and heart broken, he felt his eyes begin to sting as tears suddenly streamed down his face. It was him- the Medjai that fell in love. It was his past that he shared with yours, and the Gods gave your souls another chance at being together. He wiped his face and stood. Ardeth knew he needed to return to you- it was destined. He walked towards the rest of the men who were beginning to gather around their horses, then called for Waaiz. 

"I must leave."

"What? Where?"

"Cairo. I understand now, Waaiz. Y/N. She and I share the same past, and I believe that the Gods want us to finish our story."

Waaiz smiled and patted Ardeth's shoulder. "May the Gods watch over you on your journey, and may they bless you and our little lotus."

**Cairo**

The group had separated as soon as they reached Cairo, however it was decided that you would all meet at the museum to plan, well, something. You, Chamberlain, and the Americans headed back to your hotel to gather your belongings, then headed straight to the Museum of Antiquities. There, you found Jonathan and the curator discussing something before separating, and Rick and Evy were loudly arguing in another room. "Er, I suppose I will go check on Evy," you said. You head towards the loud noises and nearly bumped into Rick who barged out. 

"Oh, hey, it's you. Goodbye!" Rick waved his hand, and within seconds he was gone. You rolled your eyes and knocked on Evy's door. 

"May I come in, Evy?" 

"Y/N? Yes, of course, come in."

You entered the room and saw the hurricane that had blown through. Books and clothes were cluttered, and a frustrated Evy was pacing the room as she motioned for you to come inside. "Are you leaving too, Y/N?"

You shook your head. "No. We need to do something about this, and I have.... _unfinished business_." Evy paused to look at you.

"You mean-"

"I'd rather not speak of it right now, Evy. I'm sorry." Evy nodded and pulled you into an embrace. 

"Take your time. Right now, we have more important things to deal with. We need a plan." She looked at your face and tucked your hair behind your ear. "We can fix this... I can fix this... Are you with me, Y/N?"

"Of course I am. This is history. This is what I have been longing for, and I'm here to help however I can."


	10. Reunited

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Explicit! Turn back if you are not over 18.

The afternoon sun pierced through the windows of the museum as Evy and Rick bickered in the small lounge outside the room. Evy allowed you to wash up and gave you privacy to change as the others tried to make a plan. "Try to relax," she said as she touched your cheek. You cupped your hands into the water bowl, and slowly washed the dirt off of your face. The cool water felt like a moment of peace as you let it drip down your chin. The sound of the calming plink of the water soothed you as you began to dress yourself. You slipped on a silky black camisole with lace trims and tucked into some dark brown trousers with a black and gold belt from your suitcase. You loosened your hair and let it flow down your shoulders. Before you exited, you tucked the lotus dagger on to your hip. Outside, the crew continued to discuss the situation. The Americans, including Rick, voted on leaving Cairo. The British, though it was mostly Evy, wanted to stay and fight. Once you were finished, you found that the Americans had left, leaving you with Evy. She whipped her head towards you and flapped her arms in frustration.

"MEN!" she hissed as she threw herself into your arms. "I need a drink." You patted the woman's head and laughed. 

"No, _we_ need to get to work. Come on, Evy. Let's go to the library."

The two of you spent what felt like hours in the library, flipping through pages with no success. Carrying as many books as Evy could, she excused herself to head back to the museum when the sky began to rumble. You peered out the windows and noticed the strange orange glow. You tilted your head quizzically, reaching for the glass of water you had set on the small reading desk beside you. Slowly, you raised the glass to your lips and sipped, immediately spitting when you tasted the flavor of blood. "Christ..." you whispered as you ran to the courtyard. In front of you, Rick was already running at Evy. 

"Oh, Evelyn!"

"Oh, so you're still here"

"We've got problems."

"Rick, the water, it's-" you began, though the crashing of fire stopped you from speaking. A dark cloud loomed over Cairo spitting its deadly flames to the ground. Screams echoed throughout the city as Rick grabbed your and Evy's arms, dragging you to safety. The three of you turned when the sounds of hurried footsteps came down the stairs behind you. 

"BENI! Beni, you little stinkweed, where you been?!" Rick grabbed the man by the collar and slammed him against the wall. Before he could get any more answers, the creature's roar shook the entire city, allowing Beni to escape. The three of you hurried up the stairs with you and Rick pulling out your weapons. In the room, you found the skeletal remains of Burns. "Rick..." you gasped as your focus turned to the creature in front of the fireplace. 

"We're in serious trouble," Rick said, pointing his pistols at it. You pulled Evy to the side as he began to shoot. You took a deep breath and mustered up what little courage you had left. The rest of the men came running in the room as the creature approached Rick. More gunshots were fired. You were getting ready to stab the creature when it grabbed Rick and threw him towards the others, and knocking you back as well. As the five of you scrambled back to your feet, you watched the creature begin to speak to Evy. It slowly cornered her towards the bookcase, and began to lean as if to kiss her. The creature stopped, startled as a cat came crashing onto the baby grand piano. No, startled wasn't the right word... He was _terrified_. As if _it_ had seen a ghost. The creature turned into sand and whirled out of the room through a window.

"We are in very serious trouble." Rick and the others sat up as you tended to Evy. She shook as you held her tightly. 

**Museum of Antiquities**

"He does seem to like you, Evy," Jonathan noted.

"Yeah, what's that about?" Rick asked.

"What's with this guy?!" Henderson said as he jogged to catch up.

You trailed behind the two along with the Americans and Jonathan. You shivered at the thought of the image of the creature. 

"There's only one person that can give us any answers," Evy said as she led the group to the next room. "YOU!" Rick and the other men pulled their guns out and pointed at the mystery guest. You squeezed between the men and peeked behind Evy to find the Medjai chieftain chatting with the museum curator, Dr. Terrence Bey. Your heart skipped a beat and your hand flew straight to the hilt of the dagger. "Ardeth," you breathed. The Medjai's eyes found yours, taking your breath away.

"Miss Carnahan. Miss Y/N, Gentlemen." The curator was curiously calm and composed as he greeted the group.

"What is he doing here?" Rick asked, glaring at Ardeth.

"Do you really want to know, or would you prefer to shoot us?" Dr. Bey snapped. The men placed their pistols back in their holsters.

"After what I just saw, I'm willing to go on a little faith here."

"Good. Well, I suppose let's all get comfortable here." Dr. Bey motioned for the group to enter the room. As Evy and the men trickled into the room, you and Ardeth stared at one another. It felt as though a magnet was pulling the two of you together as your feet took you to him. "Y/N," Ardeth whispered. He gave you a small smile as your cheeks turned pink. "I see you have kept my dagger safe... I thank you." Ardeth took your hand and kissed the top of it. "You look, well... er-" He cleared his throat and looked back at the others who were now eyeing the two of you. Dr. Bey signaled to Ardeth to end the conversation. "Ah, well... We have much to discuss, Y/N... About our-"

"Ardeth, later. There is a bigger problem at hand. We'll catch up later." Ardeth nodded, and the two of you joined the group. As Ardeth and Dr. Bey explained the society they belonged to, you sat and listened carefully while the others bombarded the men with questions. Despite the urgency of the situation, your mind raced at the thought of you and Ardeth reuniting. There were so many questions outside of the situation, and you felt rather guilty for even thinking of it. Although Ardeth seemed focused, you couldn't help but notice the little twitches and fidgeting in his fingers every time his eyes found yours.

Evy paced the room as they continued to talk, then paused. "When I saw him alive in Hamunaptra, he called me Anck-Su-Namun." The two men's eyes grew wide as they looked at each other. "And then just now in Mr. Burns's quarters, he tried to kiss me."

"It's because of his love for Anck-Su-Namun that he was cursed. Apparently, even after three thousand years..." Dr. Bey began.

"He is still in love with her," Ardeth finished. You nearly fell out of your seat, making the Americans look at you. You smiled sheepishly as you readjusted yourself. Jonathan raised a brow at you, then looked at Ardeth. His mouth gaped open when he realized what was going on between you and the Medjai. You shook your head to shut him up before he could speak. 

"It appears he has already chosen his human sacrifice." Dr. Bey and Ardeth whipped their heads towards Evy. She opened her mouth to protest, but no voice came.

"Bad luck, old mum," Jonathan said as he leaned against the chariot he sat in.

"On the contrary, it may just give us the time we need to kill the creature," Dr. Bey said, his eyes glued to the floor as if he found the answer to their prayers. 

"We will need to get all the help we can get. His powers are growing," Ardeth quipped. He looked to the sky as a dark circle quickly began to cover the sun. Everyone stood to watch the spectacle.

"And he stretched forth his hands towards the heavens, and there was darkness throughout the land of Egypt," Jonathan recited. The darkness swallowed the sun, covering the land in its shadow. Men, women, and children peered through the curtains and looked above the sky to find that the sun had disappeared. 

"Great. Let's figure something out. You two-" Rick pointed at Dr. Bey and Ardeth, "do whatever it is you need to do, and we-" he pointed at the rest of the group, "will, uh, you know. Do the same." Everyone nodded, and split up, though you found yourself motionless in your seat. Your head was lowered and your eyes were glued to your hands. It felt as though all hope was gone despite the electric energy that filled the room. You inhaled sharply before standing quickly only to find that Ardeth was standing in front of you.

"Could we take a moment, Dr. Bey?" he asked as he stared at you. "I must speak with Y/N..."

"Oh- er, yes, of course. I think that would be best." You looked at the curator as scuffled into his office. The man seemed to know what has transpired between the two of you...

Ardeth took your arm and pulled you to the corner of the room. "I... I do not know how to begin, Y/N. I... I have seen flashes of the past, and... it was not coincidence that you had this." From his pocket, he pulled out the blue and gold hairpin. "I found it buried in the sand, and when I touched it, I... I found myself. A past life."

"You saw it. You saw them... _Us_." 

Ardeth nodded. He lifted his hand and touched your cheek. With his thumb, he caressed your skin gently as a smile grew on his face. "I believe the Gods wanted us to find one another." Without another word, you tiptoed up to meet his face and kissed him. Ardeth snaked his other arm around your waist as his hand traveled from your face to the back of your head. You felt your body's temperature rise as he deepened the kiss. His tongue danced with yours while he pulled you to him tightly. Suddenly, the two of you felt a pull. 

* * *

**Thebes**

Two naked bodies were wrapped beneath the sea of linens. Their limbs intertwined like vines as the moonlight kissed their glowing skin. Sweat rolled down his scarred arms as you wiped it away with your forefinger. You rolled over on to your stomach to stare at him. "User," you began as you planted kisses on his neck. The Medjai ran his fingers through your hair and traced the curve of your back. 

"What is it?" he whispered.

"Let's run away."

User opened his eyes and looked at you. "What?"

"Let's run away. Together. Be with me, User... I-"

He smiled and kissed your forehead. "Do not say it, Neferet. You cannot leave the palace. Not for me. If we left... they will hunt us down. You know this."

You furrowed your brows and swung your leg over to straddle him. "And you know that I cannot bear it here. I am suffocating. I do not want any other man. I would rather-"

You groaned as User's mouth found your left breast, tongue swirling around your peak. "User, please, I..." you breathed. You grabbed his hair as his fingers found your mound. "I beg you..."

"Then beg, Neferet. Beg for me," he responded huskily. You gasped as two fingers entered you. "Beg for me. I want to hear you."

"User, please take me away."

"Tell me no man can ever have you. Tell me that you are mine... Tell me your body and your heart are mine and mine alone."

"My body and my heart are yours, User. No man can have me but you." You pulled his hair slightly, making him growl and nip at your breast. He lifted you off of him, placing you between his legs. You were about to take his member into your mouth when he stopped you. 

"No. Get on your knees and turn around."

You blushed and did as you were told. You felt his hand on your back, pushing you down, then lifting your hips towards him. You exhaled slowly has he traced his tip upon your slick entrance. "You're drenched, my lady... haven't you had enough?" he asked as he teased you. He smirked as he watched you twitch and moan every time he hit the sensitive bundle of nerves. "The sounds escaping those lips are honey to my ears, my love. Alas, I think it would be best if you kept quiet." Suddenly, he lifted you towards him and his hand was covering your mouth as he pushed deep inside you. You let out a muffled scream as pleasure shook your body. Every wave of pleasure shook you as he grunted. With his free hand, he found your right breast, kneading and pinching it as he pumped faster. The hand over your mouth moved to your neck, allowing you to breath better. He paused and turned your head towards him.

"I love you," he whispered, eyes filled with joy. "I am yours." User pushed you back down and took you from behind. You covered your mouth to muffle the screams of pleasure until the two of you reached climax. You rolled over to your back and pulled him to you. You smiled and kissed his cheek and forehead, fingers wrapping around the back of his neck.

"And I am yours."

The next few weeks went by, and the two of you began to find yourselves under the covers more often. Whether it was day or night, you managed to find a time. Unfortunately, a particular prince caught you one evening. As Aziz walked down the corridor towards your quarters, he caught the image fo you and User wrapped in each other's arms. Disgusted, the prince stormed to your father's office and exposed of your secret. By early morning, User was gone from his post, and you found yourself being woken by your father.

"Sleep well?" your father asked as he poured himself a chalice of wine. 

"Er, yes? What are you doing here? Where is-"

"User? He's gone."

"Gone?" you sat up in a panic. "Gone where?"

"Gone. He will no longer be your guard."

"What?! Why?!"

Your father slammed the chalice on the golden side table, shaking the bowl of fruits to the floor. " _Why_?! You dare ask _me_ why?! YOU embarrassed ME!"

Your heart stopped momentarily and your face turned pale. "W-what are you talking about?"

"How _dare_ you sneak behind me with- with a- a-"

"A _what,_ father?! A man?! A man that I-"

"DON'T YOU _DARE_ SPEAK TO ME LIKE THAT!" he bellowed, pointing a finger at you. He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "User is gone. I have sent him away, and you will never see him again. End of story. Now, get dressed. We have chosen a husband for you."

"Father, please, no! Please, I beg you! Please, I-"

Your father was about to head out of your room when you began to vomit onto the floor. With eyes wide, he ran to you. "No... No... it can't be..." you whispered as another wave of sickness ran up your throat. Hot tears streamed down your face as you realized what this was. It had been happening for a few days now, but you thought it was simply nervousness or bad food. Now it all made sense. It had been weeks since you last bled, and you could not seem to keep food down any longer.

"Neferet... no... this cannot be..."

**9 months later**

It has been nine months and two days since you last saw User, and you were nearing the end of your pregnancy. Despite your protests, your father promised you to Aziz and made arrangements for the two of you to wed in a year. Aziz returned to his city, and you were locked in the palace. Your family and the royals have decided to hide you from the public to keep your child a secret. You were branded as a disgrace by your father, though your mother was surprisingly empathetic. She opted to live with in your quarters to ensure that you were safe and healthy until the delivery. Meanwhile, User was chained to a wall in a secret chamber for prisoners. No information about you or his child reached his ears. He was tortured and starved making him weaker and weaker every day. 

You were sitting on your bed reading through scrolls when you began feeling a sharp pain in your stomach. You were experiencing these cramps every ten minutes or so, but now it was becoming more frequent. You groaned as you placed a hand on your belly, making your mother immediately came to your side. "Neferet! It is time, set that silly scroll aside and lay down, child!" You did as you were told, and closed your eyes. Sweat rolled down your forehead as another wave of pain surged through your body.

"User... Where is User?"

"Hush, child. Not... not now," your mother whispered. "Your father... I promised-"

"Mother, a child should meet his father. Please... I beg you..."

Your mother bit her lip, tears forming in her eyes. "I'm sorry, my love..." She turned and called for a guard, then ordered him to bring a midwife. Within moments, the quiet room was filled with women. Screams of agony echoed through the room as you began to push. The sounds of your pain traveled throughout the palace. The servants and guards whispered as you continued to cry in pain. 

"One more, my love! Push!"

With one final scream, the cries of a child erupted. A boy, they said. You managed a weak smile as they handed you your son. He wept as he wiggled in your arms. He was perfect. _'User would be so happy...'_ you thought as you planted a kiss on the baby's head. Within seconds, the midwives pulled the baby away from you. "What? Where are you...? Mother?!"

"It's for the best, child."

"No. No no no no no! HE IS MINE! NO! NO!!!!!"

That night, your entire heart shattered. They had taken away your freedom, your love, and your child. Curled into a ball, you stared numbly at the moon, cursing every noble you could think of. That night, death came quickly. 

News of your death spread throughout the palace. Rumors of the vizier's daughter and her secret affair spread like wild fire. When it reached User, he wept. The news of his first born son never reached him, and quite frankly, it was for the best. As your father and mother mourned, they decided to raise the child as their own and kept the true identities of his parents a secret. Within days of the birth, User died from a broken heart; however before the two of you joined the heavens, you made a similar promise: "I will find you in the future, and we will be together once more."


End file.
